Legend of the Blaze Swordsman
by Shadowflame013
Summary: A young player of SAO stumbles in a hidden cavern and learns a new sword technique that cuts and burns all whom get in his way. The birth of the Blaze Swordsman starts here.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Primordial Fire

Back again with a new story to make. I do not own anything from SAO or Rurouni Kenshin.

2022… The year in which humanity has achieved a breakthrough in technology. It was a full dive into a virtual world. Unlike a VR headset, the participant has his/her consciousness transferred in the virtual world. The company that created the technology was called Argus. A device called the NerveGear was used to transport the consciousness to the virtual world. A participant's five senses would be stimulated as though the world around them is real. The headmaster, Kayaba Akihiko, designed a new form of MMORPG game called Virtual Reality MMO or VRMMORPG for short. The new game was called 'Sword Art Online'. Many video game enthusiasts in Japan all waited for the game's release. There was a beta trial for the game, allowing future players to have a scope of the game system itself.

One such youth was an average boy of 14. His hair was ultramafic black, appearing shiny in lighting. The hair was smooth on the front but spiky at the end. He appeared svelte, yet he looked fit in spite of his appearance. His eyes were a gray color, with a faint yellow ring shown in the iris. He was wearing a black shirt, matching trousers, black sneakers with dark red soles, and a dark grey vest with a hood. His name is Jin Fukuhara.

"I'm lucky enough to buy the new NerveGear during the beta test trial. Time to test it out to see how it works." Jin said to himself.

Rushing his way to his home, Jin moved quickly with hidden excitement. He doesn't show much of his emotions unless otherwise.

######

Back in his home, Jin quickly plugged the NerveGear and equipped it. The device was shaped like a helmet, leaving the front section of the face uncovered, save for a visor. He then pressed the power button to activate the device.

"Here goes… Link start!" Jin said.

Immediately, his sense of self was absorbed into the virtual world. The settings for his five senses were scabbed and measured okay. Jin was able to log into his account. He was then making a name for himself.

'Homuro sounds like a good name to me, but I'll stick with the original…' Jin thought, typing his actual name.

A bright flash of light encompassed his sight. Before he knew it, he was in the virtual world.

######

Jin opened his eyes and was amazed on what he saw. The area looked similar to a medieval region. He then noticed a map on his HUD and read the region on where he is. He then accessed the menu to see what he looked like. He was wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with red flame designs. The pants matched the color of his shirt, flame designs included. A black-red vest was on top of his shirt.

'So this is SAO… This must be the City of Beginnings in Floor 1 of Aincrad for new players. From what I know about this, the whole game takes place in this floating castle, where 100 floors of different regions separate it… I have to admit, almost everything about this world feels real.' Jin thought.

Seeing the different players in the city, Jin was amazed of what he was seeing. He kept himself quiet, not wanting to suddenly interact with others.

'Might as well start level grinding. I need to get strong to complete this whole game. I need a sword though…' Jin thought, walking calmly across the town.

Nearby, a male was about to purchase a weapon from a blacksmith shop He had long red, flowing hair reaching beyond his shoulders with a red-yellow bandanna. He was wearing a brick red vest and a white-long sleeved shirt. He noticed Jin and went to him, asking for help.

"Excuse me. I just need some help. You look like a beta tester so I need some advice." The person said.

"Okay, but what kind of advice do you need?" Jin asked.

"I need to learn the basics. I haven't got the grasp of the sword skills. That's all I need help with." The man requested.

"All right then. I can help with that request." Jin said.

"Thank you. My name is Klein." The man named Klein said in a good guy pose.

"I'm Jin." Jin answered.

By then, a nearby male noticed Jin and Klein talking. He went up to them in curiosity. He was wearing a blue long sleeved shirt with a dark peach leather vest with brown pants with matching shoes. His hair was long and had a dark blue luster. In appearance, he looked ridiculously handsome.

"Oh, you guys must be new here." The person said.

"Not really. I was a beta tester but only for a day." Jin said.

"Ah, I see. I didn't had a chance to introduce myself. I'm Kirito." The boy said.

"I'm Jin. There's a way for us to grind and learn the basics at the same time. The open fields are teeming with frenzy boars. Perfect for us to train ourselves and learn how to fight." Jin said.

"Okay, I'm in." Kirito said.

######

The group made their way to an open field called the West Fields from the City of Beginnings. Unfortunately for Klein, a stray boar rammed him on his gut. He took a knee since he lost his breath.

"Ouch… That felt like taking an SUV head on." He said comically.

Jin sighed in response. He decided to explain on how to use sword skills. Kirito watched with interest as he saw Jin interacting.

"Calm down, Klein. The pain is there, but not as intense as it should be in real life. Sword skills rely on motion input. For instance, the Reaver skill. Lower your sword stance and place the blade on top of your shoulder. The sword will glow an orange color, indicating the skill is ready. Just charge forward and make the sword impact the enemy." Jin explained.

Klein nodded and lowered his stance. His sword began to glow and he immediately charged to the boar. The boar had little time to react before it was sliced clean from Klein's sword. The boar disappeared in blue polygons.

"I did it… That was awesome!" Klein said in pride.

"Congratulations, Klein. Now that you got the gist of sword skills, let's try this out with the other boars. You need to make sure you master this skill to the point it becomes second nature to you." Kirito said.

Klein nodded, giving a high five to Kirito and Jin. The trio kept themselves training for 3 hours. Jin was able to level up after training alongside Kirito and Klein.

"Let's take a breather for now… We've been training nonstop." Klein said.

"Okay. Bear in mind of this, Klein. All monsters have unique attacks so you may want to use their attacks to counter them. Remember those boars charging at you? You sidestep to avoid and counter them. All monsters have an opening that could lead to critical damage, if played at the exact moment. Sharpen your senses once you see new monsters." Jin lectured.

"Thanks. You're acting like a dojo sensei to me." Klein joked.

Jin chuckled in response, alongside Kirito. They then decided to part ways.

"I got some business to take care of in the City of Beginnings. We'll meet each other later on." Kirito said.

"Okay. I'll go take a rest by walking around the town. It's still a new experience for me." Klein said.

"I got some stuff to take care of as well. However, it's completely different from Kirito. I'll meet you guys later." Jin said.

Jin took off, deciding to do some quests for himself to grow strong.

######

Three days have passed in the game. Jin was able to complete enough quests to level up rapidly, reaching level 12. He was now outside in the South Fields of the City of Beginnings.

"All that quest hunting and level grinding paid off. I can feel myself getting stronger." Jin said to himself.

Jin then noticed a strange glint, almost like a fiery spark at a nearby cave. His curiosity getting the better of him, Jin went to explore the mysterious cave. The cave was unusually hot, indicating by his sweat pouring from his face.

'This feels like I'm exploring inside a volcano… I don't think this cave is connected to one.' Jin thought.

It was dark and hard to breathe due to the humidity mixing with the heat. Before he knew it, a sudden hole formed under his feet, causing the ground to crumble. Jin had no time to react and fell.

"Aaaaaahhhhhhh!"

Jin's screams echoed as he fell into the hole. Eventually, he fell at the bottom.

"Ouch… I guess even fall damage is as real as it is here…" Jin muttered.

He took note of the overwhelming heat in the cave. It was hotter than it was before falling in the hole. Jin noticed what appeared to be a lantern and slowly walked to it.

'Wonder if someone lives in this infernal cave? Only way to find out is if I were to take a look.' Jin thought.

Walking to the light, he didn't expect to see what looked like a Japanese style home. The heat from the cave was more concentrated as he got closer to the house. He called out to see if anyone was there.

"Excuse me… Is anyone here?" Jin said.

"Oh? I certainly didn't expect someone to drop in this cave. You probably were lucky enough to discover my home." A male voice said.

Jin traced the voice and noticed a figure. He appeared heavily bandaged from head to toe, like a mummy. His hair was sticking out from his head in tuffs. The man was wearing an indigo kimono, leaving his right arm exposed. Jin took notice of the man's face appearing brown-red and cracked. The man's eyes were a piercing red color, something that intimidated the young player. The man was smoking a kiseru.

"What do you mean I was lucky to find this place?" Jin asked nervously.

"Not many players dared to explore this cave. This cave has been heated due to my presence being in here." The man said.

"Wait… Are you the one heating this cave like a sauna?" Jin asked.

"Yes. This cave has gotten too hot because of my body temperature influencing it. This body of mine has been burning with the flames of hell. Only .1% of players were able to find me." The man said.

"Oh man… Talk about having an immense fortune… In regards about the heat… That would explain why you have bandages all over your body… You were burned alive to the point your sweat glands were burned off." Jin deduced.

"Precisely. Since you have discovered this cave, I'll grant you a blessing to teaching you a unique sword style for your bravery." The man said.

"I've heard about different weapon attacks based on a person's preference in weapons. However, learning a new style is completely surprising." Jin said in shock.

"Are you intending to learn this new style or are you just going to stay there?" The man asked rudely.

"Sorry. I want to learn this new sword style you speak of." Jin said.

The man chuckled sadistically, unnerving Jin. He could tell this person living in the cave was a bloodthirsty person.

"The sword style is a form of battojutsu. However, because of my body's condition, I'm capable of using fire-oriented techniques. They are called the Secret Swords, for they are the result of this blade I possess." The man said, showing his sword.

Jin looked at the sword, noting the excellent craftsmanship. What caught his eyes was the sharp edge. It was not from a typical katana. The edge was serrated, having small, fine teeth like a chainsaw. Jin smelled a foul odor from the blade, only to realize it was the blade emitting the smell.

"This sword… It's no ordinary sword…" Jin said.

"Quite a sharp eye there… This blade is known as the Mugenjin, my personal sword. This sword is designed to never lose its edge and absorb the blood and fat from humans with each cut made. This acts as the fuel needed to execute my techniques." The man said.

"Whoa… A sword made like that can be used without repercussions." Jin commented.

"In any case, we shall begin for your training. What is your name?" The man asked.

"Fukuhara Jin." Jin introduced himself.

"I'm known as Makoto Shishou. I will be training with you for at least 15 minutes. After that, you must learn the techniques on your own, apprentice." Shishou said.

"Very well. I promise to be the best." Jin said.

"Welcome to Hell then, Jin." Shishio said.

Thus, a new legend was a born. The legend of the Blaze Swordsman.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Calling of the storm.

I do not own anything from SAO nor Rurouni Kenshin.

Jin was training himself inside the infernal cave for a week. He had to admit, it was straining with the heat and humidity of the cave. His sword was replica of Shioshio's Mugenjin, having the serrated edges carefully crafted. He was able to learn new skills from the Secret Swords such as the Homura Dama, Shinku Renge, and Funka. The Homura Dama extended the cutting power of his sword, allowing him to cut and burn an enemy thanks to the flames on his sword. The Shinku Renge allows him to wreathe his sword in fire and swing it in a slant, resulting the victim in getting a cauterizing cut. Jin learned the technique can be used multiple times in quick succession, increasing his versatility. The Funka was an AoE skill, allowing him to create an explosion of fire that surrounds him. He was also able to learn a new variation of the technique of the Shinku Renge, the Kasai no Senkai. Using the Shinku Renge in a rolling somersault, he can turn himself into a fiery chainsaw, cutting any in front and burning others who approach him from his sides. He had a hidden skill that he was not willing to show unless he needed to.

'My hands… They're burning up…' Jin thought, feeling the sensation of heat.

By then, Shishio came out of his home, seeing Jin practice his techniques outside. He was impressed to see the young apprentice of his battojutsu becoming stronger.

"That's enough for today, Jin. Your body is undergoing hyperthermia and you won't be able to move for some time." Shishio said.

"Hyperthermia… Is this what you have been experiencing…?" Jin said in between breaths.

"Every day… Enough about me. The new techniques that you'll learn will come once you train yourself to level up. I will provide with a special warp crystal that'll allow only you to come here. I will teach you new techniques of The Secret Swords once you reach level 50." Shishio said.

Jin was provided with an orange-red crystal.

"You know that I have to leave this cave. A wise man and a powerful warrior no less." Jin complimented.

"You're my apprentice, Jin. I want you to grow strong since you were the first to discover this cave." Shishio said.

"Thank you for teaching me this sword style, Shishio-sama." Jin said, bowing respectfully.

'This kid may be my chance to escape from my hell… He may also be the one who will save others.' Shishio thought.

"Be on your way, young warrior. Just don't die." Shishio said in a rude tone.

"I don't intend to. I'm planning to be the best. We will meet again." Jin said.

Jin took out a blue crystal and used it to teleport back to the City of Beginnings.

At the square of the City of Beginnings, Jin noticed a large group of players gathering about. He was curious on what was happening, but didn't want to get involved with the crowd. He opened his menu and noticed that the logout button is not implemented.

'Hmm? I can't log out of the game. This could be a serious issue… If the people working the servers know this, they should've deactivate the game by now. This is the only way to log out of SAO… Somehow, I think this could be a problem for everyone here…' Jin thought, feeling uncomfortable.

True to Jin's words, every player in the square is asking how to log out, due to not finding a log out button in the menu screen. Some started to panic and attempted to call the game master, but to no avail. He them heard what sounded like a church bell ringing. Before he knew it, Jin saw Klein and Kirito appearing in blue light.

"Kirito, Klein. You guys noticed the log out button is gone too?" Jin asked.

"Yeah. We've noticed it." Kirito confirmed.

"You guys used a teleport crystal to come here?" Jin asked.

"No. The game made us teleport here without one. It's as though this is a scripted event or a forced teleportation." Kirito said.

"Looks like we're about to find out… Look." Klein said, pointing to a red window crystal.

'WARNING! Seems like something is about to happen.' Jin thought.

By then, the bell stopped ringing, leaving the square silent in an ominous feeling. By then, the 'Warning' polygon expanded into 'System Announcement' polygons, creating a crimson dome that surrounded the square. A strange, red fluid leaked out from the polygon crystals. It then coalesced into a dark male figure, wearing a large robe that obscured the whole body, leaving his two outstretched hands visible.

"Could that be the game master?" Jin questioned.

"Maybe, but we're about to find out why we're here." Kirito said.

By then, the figure raised his arms up.

"Attention, players. I welcome you all to my world. My name is Kayaba Akihiko. As of this moment onwards, I'm the only person in control of this world." The figure known as Akihiko said.

'Kayaba…? The man who invented the NerveGear…!' Jin realized.

The players were shocked to see the creator of SAO in front of them.

"As you have all noticed, the log out button is no longer in the menu screen. It's not a bug nor an error of the system. It's the main feature of Sword Art Online. You will not be able to log out from the game and no one from the real world will be able to shut down or remove the NerveGear. If attempted, the NerveGear's transmitter will emit a powerful microwave that'll liquefy your brains, killing you instantly." Akihiko announced.

Some of the players dismissed the threat, but Jin and Kirito knew the threat was real.

"What's with this guy? Has he lost his mind?" Klein said in question to Kirito and Jin.

"It's not a lie… The NerveGear's transmitter does emit microwaves that keep us in this virtual world by interfacing with the person's brain directly. Should the safety be disabled, it's as just as he said." Jin said.

"Shouldn't the NerveGear shut down from lack of power once removed from a plug?" Klein asked.

"That won't work… The device has an internal battery." Kirito said.

Klein shook his head to dismiss the thought.

"How crazy. What the hell is going on?" Klein asked.

"Unfortunately, several players, whose family members attempted to log them out all died in a futile attempt to remove the NerveGear. They were all foolish to attempt such a drastic measure. As a result, two hundred and thirteen players perished in the real world." Akihiko said.

"Unbelievable… This guy has definitely lost his mind." Jin said.

By then, several screens were encircling Akihiko.

"As you can see, these are news posts from all over the world reporting the incident and deaths. Thankfully, the attempts to remove the NerveGear have diminished to none." Akihiko said.

Jin growled in response, seeing the stressful situation getting worse.

"There's another part I must mention. There's no longer a reviving method in the game. Should any player's HP go to zero, you will forever lose your avatar and your life." Akihiko announced.

Kirito and Jin envisioned their deaths from a monster and clenched their fists tightly. All the other players remained silent in response.

"However, there is only one method for you all to escape. To complete the game, you must clear all 100 floors of Aincrad. Currently, you're all at Floor 1. Defeat each Floor Boss and you can advance to defeating the next one. Defeat the final boss on Floor 100 and you can all escape unscathed.

'Clearing all 100 floors in a death game…? That would be near-impossible, but we all must get stronger to fight.' Jin thought, clenching his fists tightly.

"Finally, I presented you all a gift in your item storage. Have a look." Akihiko said.

Jin looked at his item storage and noticed an item. He read the name out loud and carefully.

"Mirror of Truth… Somehow I don't like this one little bit." Jin said.

Upon selecting it, a small, rectangular hand mirror appeared. When the players looked at it, they were engulfed in a blue-while light. Much to some of the players' shock, some females were actually male players and vice versa. Kirito's appearance changed into a younger version of his avatar. Klein also changed, having spiky hair, but keeping his bandanna. Jin didn't change at all.

"You guys okay?" Jin asked.

"Yeah. What about you though, Jin? You didn't change." Kirito said.

"This is how I look naturally… Wait, you guys are Klein and Kirito right…? That mirror must have reverted everyone to how they look." Jin said.

"Not just that… The NerveGear also has a high density signaling device that covers your whole head. It can literally see what your face looks like. However, it doesn't affect the avatar's height and body." Kirito said.

"Kayaba must have interfaced with the NerveGear from every player via software hacking. We were able to calibrate on how our avatars looked by touching ourselves in this world." Jin said.

"That must be how the device obtains the data from the player." Kirito said.

"But why would Kayaba stage something like this in the first place?" Klein questioned.

"We're about to find out." Jin said, pointing to Akihiko.

"You all must be wandering why the developer of the NerveGear and Sword Art Online, Kayaba Akihiko, do all this? My goal has already been achieved. I created this world for a purpose: to create this world and intervene in it. Now that purpose has been fulfilled, this ends the tutorial of the official Sword Art Online launch. Good luck, players." Akihiko said, disappearing from the area.

The players all panicked in response. Kirito, Klein and Jin quickly regrouped and fled from the area to avoid the pandemonium.

"Just come with us quickly. We don't want to get caught in the crowd." Jin said.

Outside the square, the three boys began to discuss their thoughts.

"Listen carefully… We'll be heading to a nearby village not far from here. You should come with us." Kirito said.

Klein was confused, unable to make a response.

"If what Kayaba said is true, the only way to clear this game is to grow stronger as fast as possible. In a typical MMO, the resources are not limited, but in a virtual MMO, they are. In other words, money, EXP etc. The fields outside the City of Beginnings will be wiped clean of monsters. We need to head to the village near this place so we can gain more EXP and money before more players join in the fray. Kirito knows the area more than I do. Even at Level 1, he can make his way there safely without finding the dangerous routes." Jin explained.

"But… I spent a whole night in line to buy this with my friends from the other game. They're out there in the square. I can't just leave them behind." Klein said.

'He'll probably join with his friends in the monster hunting… No doubt he wouldn't dare abandon them.' Jin thought.

"I'm sorry, you guys. I can hardly ask you for anything else. You guys go ahead to the village. I used to run a guild in my last game. I'll be able to survive thanks to your teachings you two." Klein said.

"Very well… Be sure to keep a close eye on your comrades. Don't lose them, no matter the price nor pay. This isn't goodbye, for we will meet again one day." Jin said.

"Send us a message if anything happens. Take care." Kirito said.

Both boys were about to leave but Klein called out to them. Only Kirito remained behind.

Jin continued to walk forward, leaving Kirito behind. He went his way to the same pathway Kirito showed, but he ended up taking the most dangerous routes. He slowly pulled his sword out of his scabbard.

'This is no longer a game… This is the real deal… If one dies here, then the person in real life dies as well… This whole game is nothing but a hellish nightmare.' Jin thought.

By then, several dire wolves appeared. He held his sword up and began to writhe them in fire.

 **"Hiken: Homura Dama!"**

The wolves were both cut and burnt from the attack. They shattered into polygons in a second.

"I WILL NOT DIE IN YOUR TWISTED GAME, KAYABA! I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT THROUGH THIS HELL!" Jin shouted with all his spirit.

Nearby, Kirito was running by and noticed Jin viciously carving down the dire wolves around him. This surprised Kirito in response. He ended up approaching Jin.

"Dang Jin. That was a sword skill?" Kirito asked in surprise.

"It is… It's called battojutsu, a lost sword art. This is similar to Iaido, but this one uses friction to essentially create fire for each of my attacks." Jin explained.

"Awesome… Can this be taught to other players?" Kirito asked.

"If that were the case, I would provide ways to obtain the skills. However, a cave that provides teaching of the skills is hidden away. Only .01 percent of players were able to find the entrance. None were able to venture far due to the incredible heat in the cave." Jin explained.

"Talk about luck from the heavens. You're really fortunate to find that cave." Kirito said.

By then, a mid-boss appeared in the field. It was a red dire wolf that appeared larger.

"The Hono no Okami… I never thought we would find this boss here…" Kirito said.

Jin outstretched his hand to let Kirito know he'll be fighting the wolf. Kirito understood and moved back, leaving Jin to fight the wolf down.

"Bring it on, you fiery sack of fur." Jin taunted.

The wolf lunged to Jin. However, he anticipated the attack and jumped into the air. Holding his sword, he scraped it on the scabbard, causing it to ignite. He then performed a rolling somersault to the fiery beast.

 **"Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

The wolf was cut in half from the head down. By then, Jin received a message for defeating the boss.

-Congratulations. You earned the Coat of Flames and Karen.- The message said.

"The Coat of Flames and Karen? I knew you were lucky to find a new sword technique, but this goes beyond reasoning…" Kirito said.

Jin chuckled before equipping his coat and new sword. The coat was black with orange-red flame patterns all over. His new sword, Karen, had a beautiful red luster, but it also had the ability to produces flames that go in conjunction with his battojutsu techniques.

"We should hurry to the village. More players are starting to come and they'll be grinding themselves to get stronger." Kirito said.

"Good point, let's go." Jin responded.

A month passed and none of the players were able to clear the First Floor boss. The date was December 3, 2022. Kirito and Jin were discussing of the situation back in the City of Beginnings.

"The number of players who died measured up to two thousand. It seems that Kayaba made some changes to the bosses here, making them more unpredictable." Jin said.

"You might be right about this one, Jin… However, even as a beta tester, I never went to the boss room. There's a meeting on how we can destroy this boss coming up. We should attend it so we may have a chance." Kirito said.

"Alright then. Let's go." Jin said.

The boys went to the meeting to listen to the discussion. They noticed a blue haired man, wearing decent equipment.

"Thank you all for coming to this meeting. My name is Diabel and we're to discuss on how we can clear the First Floor Boss." The person said.

'Sounds like he may have some info on the boss. Better listen carefully.' Jin thought.

"Our party was able to find the boss room so we can navigate our way there safely. The boss is at the top of the tower. We need to defeat this boss to advance to the next floor so we can inform everyone in the first floor that this game is not infeasible. Everyone present here has the capability to perform this duty." Diabel said.

'Quite a professional speaker this person is.' Jin thought with admiration.

The players who heard the speech all clapped in response. Their spirits were renewed with vigor.

"Now, let's discuss our plan to fight. Divide into parties of six. We'll all be able to fight this boss equally and have the EXP and money shared. Essentially, we're making squads to fight this boss down. We need to form raid groups so we can stand a chance." Diabel said.

Kirito and Jin had no time to ask around as almost everyone had been recruited into a party. Although they had no choice, they made their own party. They then noticed a figure wearing a burgundy robe, covering the person leaving the lower face uncovered.

"Um… You got left out too?" Kirito asked.

"No, I wasn't left out. I just stayed away from everyone since they seem to know each other." The person said, sounding feminine.

"A solo player huh? Mind if you join with me in a party? According to what that guy said, it's not a good idea to fight the boss alone. This party is made to fight the boss." Kirito reasoned.

The female figure nodded in response. Kirito sent an invitation to the girl and she accepted it. Jin noticed the new name 'Asuna' appearing on his HUD.

'That's a female name… No mistake about that.' Jin thought.

"Everyone, have you all made your parties?" Diabel questioned.

Everyone nodded in response.

"Hold on a minute!" A male voice called out.

Jin quickly noticed a man with orange spiky hair interrupting the meeting. He didn't like what he was about to do.

"My name is Kibaou. I have something to say before we all head out to fight the boss. Some of you need to apologize to the two thousand players who died so far!" Kibaou said.

Kirito widened his eyes, but Jin kept a calm composure. He was holding his anger at bay.

"Are you referring to the beta testers, Kibaou-san?" Diabel asked.

"Of course I am! When this stupid game started, the betas ditched us newbies behind and disappeared. They took all the good hunting spots and easy quests for themselves in order to get stronger. I demand that nay beta tester here give all their money and items acquired as of today! I'm sure that guy is also a beta tester so he should comply with what I said!" Kibaou said, pointing to Jin.

Kirito was conflicted to speak out but remained silent. Jin slowly stood up, anger showing his expression. His bangs blocked his eyes from view.

"You claim that I am a beta tester just because of the items I have?" Jin asked quietly.

The calm tone was a subliminal message to everyone; don't fuck with him.

"What of it? You guys have been taking the good spots since the game started!" Kibaou yelled at Jin.

Immediately, Jin brought his sword out and ignited the blade in ethereal flames. He placed the blade close to Kibaou's neck, effectively silencing him. He then held out a small handbook.

"Just so you know… I recently got the game. Also, you recall that handbook that was given to the players for free? It was information gathered by the beta testers who risked their lives. Despite this, many other have died due to changes in the game. I suggest you keep that mouth of yours shut or I'll turn you into ash in an instant." Jin threatened.

He looked at everyone, letting the wind blow his hair. His eyes were no longer covered by his bangs, showing them turned red from the anger he was showing.

"Bear in mind of this everyone… Out of the 2000 players that have died, most of them could be beta testers who risked themselves to fight the bosses to help others clear the game. While I wouldn't say that in a game that your life is on the line. However, on this one, it is. We could learn from their deaths so we can improve ourselves to prevent them. So think twice before you berate any of the beta testers in the game. Make any insulting gossips about the beta testers and I'll prove my threat is real! GOT THAT!?" Jin yelled.

Kibaou was angered but wisely kept his mouth shut. He remembered seeing Jin's face and didn't want to provoke him.

Nighttime has fallen in the game. Jin still had some pent-up frustration from the meeting. He sat down by himself, avoiding everyone.

'Berating the beta testers was insulting enough, but for him to accuse others based on equipment is essentially asking him for me to beat the heck out of his head.' Jin thought.

While he was trying to suppress his anger, a bald dark sinned male came up to him. He an axe etched on his back. Jin held up his guard upon seeing him approach.

"Is there something you need?" He asked.

"That was quite an inspiring but threatening speech you made there. If anything, I'll have to say thank you for opening the eyes of the other players to rethink of beta testers who gave us all the information." The man said.

"It was the right thing to do… He was being a stuck-up idiot." Jin said.

"Either way, thanks. My name is Agil." The man said.

"Jin." Jin said in introduction.

"Not a person with many words huh? In any case, you must be pretty brave to take on the hate for all the beta testers. Are you that confident with your skills?"Agil asked.

"I didn't learn my sword skills just to see myself die in battle. I'm intending to clear this game and get everyone out of here." Jin said.

Kirito was with the girl near him, eating stale food. He provide some cream from a quest he did to help make the taste better. She finished in seconds.

"I didn't come to this town just to eat delicious food…" The girl said quietly.

By then Jin showed up, walking in a thinking pose.

"Yo Jin. You okay?" Kirito called out.

"Just a little frustrated from today's meeting. Had to go somewhere for solitary evaluation unless you want me to lash out like an angered wolf." Jin said.

"I can't imagine why… In any case, tomorrow is the raid for the boss. We'll be getting up early." Kirito said.

"Agreed. We may need to learn what is called 'switching' in this floor before we have a chance to fight the boss. There's a small field that we can use to train for that at the West Fields." Jin said.

"Good call. We will learn that technique." Kirito said.

The time was 5 AM. Kirito, Jin, and Asuna practiced the concept of switching, killing any monsters that they encountered.

"Timing is crucial in switching. For instance… Jin, switch with me!" Kirito said, attacking a black dire wolf.

Jin quickly followed along, unleashing an overhead strike with the Homura Dama. The wolf was attacked from Kirito and Jin before shattering in polygons. Jin flipped in the air and landed near Kirito. Asuna was impressed with the display.

"So that's what switching is… We should try that." Asuna said in agreement.

"Alright. Do your magic, Asuna. We'll be able to provide the opening you need." Jin said.

The trio encountered a blue dire wolf. Jin immediately performed a vertical slash, leaving the wolf open.

"Now Asuna!" Jin said.

Asuna unleashed a flurry of attacks by using a rapier. The boys watched in amazement as she slayed the wolf in seconds, leaving a streak of blue-green light in a flash.

"Now that's stylish." Jin whistled.

The time was 9 AM. The parties all gathered with Diabel to fight the boss down. All were prepared to fight to the death. There were 7 groups with 48 people. They were assigned group letters to better manage themselves. Jin was with Kirito and Asuna in Group G.

"Everyone ready? Let's go!" Diabel announced.

The dungeon doors opened. Inside the dark hallway, there was a red color beast, appearing like a giant goblin. The hallway suddenly went bright, allowing the players to see the boss. It was two meters tall, appearing with brick red fur. The eyes were a bloodthirsty copper red. It was wielding a leather shield and a battle axe.

"Illfang, the Kobold Lord…" Jin said.

Near the boss, three sentinels appeared. They all charged forward.

"Let's GO!" Diabel yelled.

Jin was the first to yell out and quickly dashed to the sentinels. Kirito immediately noticed him taking off preemptively.

"Jin, wait! Don't risk it!" Kirito yelled.

No one saw how fast Jin was moving. The naked eye was unable to trace Jin's movements as he quickly made his way to the sentinels.

 **"Hiken: Shukuchi San!"**

Just as the name of the technique was heard, Jin moved in a blur. Before anyone realized it, the sentinels were cut down in half from the waist up. A diagonal clean cut was shown prior to them shattering into polygons.

"No way… He moved so fast that the enemies didn't had any time to react upon being killed… This guys just did three steps with a kill in each one. Who is that guy…?" One of the players questioned.

"That sword style… This is unlike anything I've ever seen..." Diabel said in amazement.

Illfang immediately took its attention to Jin, whom had his back on the boss. The kobold leader charged at him, only for Jin to backflip to avoid the attack. He then scraped his sword to ignite flames on the blade.

 **"Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

The inferno rolling blaze went on to the boss, taking it 2/5 of its health. More sentinels came in in response of the sudden drop of the boss's HP.

"Go for the sentinels! They're acting as a distraction!" Jin yelled out, holding the boss off.

"Right! Group C, guard the players by taking down the sentinels! Group D, provide some healing potions and crystals to keep anyone from dying! Groups E and F, attack the boss from the side! Group G is providing a lot of damage to the boss!" Diabel called out.

Everyone went into position. Kirito was able to use the 'switch' method to keep the sentinels off. The majority of the players kept attacking the boss, leaving it with one bar left at the yellow zone. Jin noticed that the boss suddenly discarded its shield and axe.

"Guys watch out! He's about to switch weapons! Move away, NOW!" Jin called out.

"So the info from the beta testers was right." Kibaou said.

"Every support player, provide your potions to the injured! We need to ready ourselves!" Diabel called out.

However, Kirito and Jin immediately noticed the weapon. They were shocked to see what they didn't expect.

"That's no talwar… It's a damn nodachi! Everyone, watch out!" Kirito warned.

Diabel didn't heed Kirito's warning and went straight to the boss. Before he knew it, Illfang moved in insane speeds and nearly turned Diabel into confetti.

"Diabel!" The players called out.

Jin quickly caught Diabel and was about to provide him a potion. Kirito quickly came to him administer the potion. However, Diabel pushed them back.

"Why were you trying to take the boss on alone? It isn't worth getting the last attack if you go unprepared and die!" Jin said.

"I knew it… You two were beta testers… You two understood what I was doing…" Diabel said in dying breaths.

"You also were a beta tester as well. That was a costly mistake you did to get the last attack bonus…" Jin said in anger.

"Please… Defeat the boss so everyone can live…" Diabel said as he disappeared in blue polygons.

Jin remained in place for a few seconds. He then had his eyes change from gray to red. He bellowed out in a berserk like rage.

"RRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The boss was overwhelmed by the immense rage along with every player. It created a powerful current of heated air, blowing off everyone's robes. Jin charged ahead to the boss, roaring violently.

" **HIKEN: FUNKA!"**

A powerful eruption of fire engulfed the boss, leaving it with little HP left. Kirito immediately went for the kill in response, seeing Jin tired momentarily. With a skill ready to use, Kirito quickly leaped up and performed a Vertical Arc, eviscerating the boss in a V-shape pattern. Kirito was awarded the final attack bonus: The Coat of Midnight.

"We won… WE WON!" Everyone reveled in victory.

Agil and Asuna came up to Jin and Kirito, both of them exhausted.

"That was some splendid work you two did. That kind of sword skill from you, Jin, was unlike anything I have seen. Kirito, you had excellent teamwork with him. This victory goes to you two." Agil complimented.

Everyone applause to the two swordsmen. However, Kibaou decided to voice his anger.

"WHY!? Why did you let Diabel die in the battle!?" He questioned.

Jin and Kirito looked at Kibaou, whom asked the question.

"Let him die…? He chose to die in honor, despite us attempting to heal him… He didn't want us to heal him…" Jin said in an agitated but somber tone.

Everyone looked at Jin. His face was straining to hold back his grief for a fallen player.

"You already know what the boss was about to do! If you told us earlier, we would have saved his life, you beta tester!" Kibaou said.

Immediately, hot air engulfed the hallway. Jin's hands started to turn red from the overwhelming heat. Kirito was nervous to revealing he was a beta tester.

"Did I hear you accuse me of being a beta tester, AGAIN!?" Jin bellowed.

Everyone stopped as the saw the angered expression on his face. A few tears were streaming from his right eye.

"YOU THINK THAT I WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT IT FEELS TO GO THROUGH SUCH HELL LIKE THIS!? IF YOU ARE STILL COMPLAINING THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO SAVE HIM! EVEN IF A BETA TESTER WERE TO KNOW THE BOSS BEFOREHAND, KAYABA CHANGED EVERYTHING! KAYABA KNEW WHAT WERE PLANNING FROM THE START! SO QUIT PUTTING THE BLAME ON ANOTHER PERSON!" Jin yelled.

He then held his sword out, the flames dancing wildly on the blade. Kibaou was now scared of Jin. He was expecting him to strike but the blow never came. Jin extinguished the flames and placed his sword back in the scabbard.

"Starting today, I'll be known as a battojutsu user. One that controls fire and burns everything in one's path. I am the Blaze Swordsman. If anyone dares to come at me with such insults, I'll hack you all into mincemeat or turn you into ash in an instant." Jin said, making the flames on his sword shoot out brightly.

Kirito began to laugh manically, but Jin knew it was an act.

"The beta testers were nothing like how I am. They were just simple beginners like you and me. However, I was able to reach higher levels than any of the beta testers. I'm quite resourceful, but with your accusations, this just proves that we should have left you newbies to die. Even the game master couldn't find that out." Kirito said in a cocky tone.

Everyone began pointing fingers at Kirito, mixing the words, 'cheater' and 'beta tester'. Eventually, a new term was formed: beater.

"Beater… An appropriate title for myself. Though your title is offensive, let it be known that I'm intending to clear this game with my friend in order to save you all. It's gamble between survival and death." Kirito said.

Kirito equipped his Coat of Midnight after his discussion. Every player remained quiet, not wanting to insult them. Jin's fiery aura was still fluctuating as his hands looked red form the intense heat. Asuna walked up to the boys in concern.

"Do yourself a favor, Asuna. The moment you see a high-tier guild available, join it without question. Your chances of living will increase." Kirito said.

"Wait… How did you two know my name…?" Asuna asked.

Kirito looked at Asuna and missed her full appearance without the robe. She was wearing a dark red leather tunic with a lightweight copper breastplate and leather pants with boots up to the knees along with a hooded cape. Her hair was orange brown with hazel eyes.

"If you look at the top left corner of your HUD, you see your HP gauge. In a party, you can also see the member's HP as different bars, alongside their names." Kirito said.

Asuna followed what Kirito said and found the names.

"Kirito… The other one was named Jin…" Asuna said.

"Yeah… He's going through a lot so I'll leave him in his personal space." Kirito said solemnly.

At the second floor, Jin was walking with an emotionally tired expression. He noticed several monsters coming to him. He brought Karin out and wreathed it in fire.

"Let's dance." Jin said coldly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Rise of the Blaze Swordsman. PK hunts.

I do not own anything from Rurouni Kenshin and SAO.

It has been 6 months since Jin last saw either Kirito or Asuna. The time was now April 8, 2023. Jin was walking in a town, ignoring the gossips of Kirito becoming a beater. He was wearing a cloak to hide his identity. He was able to fight the boss on Floor 35, Ifrit and obtained the Asahi sword. In result, he also learned new skills in conjunction with the Secret Swords: Yasai no Hi and the Hi Nami. The Yasai no Hi creates a powerful fiery strike that ignites adjacent enemies, burning them. The Hi Nami creates a concentrated wave of fire that deals piercing damage. It's capable of cutting through enemies in a single shot. Jin is currently sitting down at Floor 10, thinking of what to do.

'Six months have passed since the first floor boss… No one would remain sane after what I've gone through…' Jin thought.

He then heard gossips of player killing guilds. The moment he heard them, Jin made a scowl. He was completely disgusted to hearing other players killing for fun.

'It seems that these players that are killing each other fail to realize that dying here in SAO results in the person dying in the real world… Seeking information in regards of the PK guilds may take some time, but I intend to put an end to this scourge. If I have to kill my own heart just to hunt them down…so be it. Better start searching in the dungeons to find any clues.' Jin thought.

######

Jin arrived in Floor 11, exploring a dungeon. He was seeking some information for any PK guilds. What he didn't expect was a party of five at near critical HP fighting monsters. However, he noticed a familiar black blur killing the monsters off.

'That's Kirito, no doubt about it…' Jin thought.

Jin decided to make his presence known to everyone.

"Hey Kirito." Jin said.

"Yo Jin. It has been a while." Kirito said.

Kirito noticed the new sword that Jin has. The sword's handle was red, but the blade was elegantly crafted. It appeared like a normal katana, but there was a faint, red-orange luster on the blade.

"Looks like you have been improving. Anyway, what are you doing in this dungeon?" Kirito questioned.

"I'm going on a hunt." Jin said cryptically.

"Oh… What are you hunting?" Kirito asked.

"I'm looking for the PK guilds to hunt down. I was hoping to find some clues as to where they are." Jin said seriously.

Kirito frowned upon hearing what Jin said.

"You know those kind of people will kill anyone for their sick pleasure. Knowing this, especially since dying in SAO equals to death in the real world, are you intending to kill them?" Kirito asked.

Jin made a serious expression on his face. Kirito took note of this, seeing his eyes faintly glow red before turning back to gray.

"Any guild that engages in player killing, regardless of reason, I will slay them. They are contributing to the number of people dying in the real world. I won't let them do as they please… Every member will perish." Jin said, anger hidden within the message.

"That'll make you a killer as well… You do realize that…" Kirito responded with an unnerved thought.

"Better than having a bunch of killers roaming about. If I'm labelled as a killer, then I don't care what happens to me. If I let those PK guilds hunt down the players who ae trying to clear this game, they'll be defenseless. I won't let this happen, not as long as I'm still alive. If they attempt to kill anyone, I'll be there to take their lives, painfully as possible," Jin said, his eyes turning red.

"W-well, this is your choice to make. I won't judge you on your decisions. You're still a friend to me, Jin." Kirito said.

"Thanks." Jin said, his eyes turning back to gray.

The boys didn't notice a female member of the party they protected from the monsters approaching them.

"Um… If it's not too much trouble, we would like to celebrate for surviving thanks to Kirito-kun." The girl said.

Kirito said nothing as Jin looked at the girl. She was wearing a light blue tunic with a chest guard, a knee-length short skirt and grayish boots. Her hair was black and at shoulder length. She was a petite girl.

"Very well… Let's head back to town." Jin said.

######

In Floor 11, there was town called Taft. It was a safe haven for players who have been able to advance beyond Floor 10. Jin and Kirito were with a small guild called the Moonlit Black Cats. They kept themselves quiet, looking at the small guild. One member was named Sasamaru. He had brown, curly hair and green eyes. He was dressed in light, green clothing with light metal armor plates on his chest and his left shoulder. Sasamaru also wore brown, leather gauntlets, dark boots and a blue cap. Jin noted he was a spear user.

'Sachi is also a spear user as well. I guess they can train each other with ease.' Jin thought.

The next member was Tetsuo. He was wearing a set of black armor, consisting of a chest and shoulder plates. Underneath the armor, he had a purple tunic. Kirito noticed a mace near his left hip.

'A mace user. It's been a while since I last saw someone with that weapon.' Kirito thought.

Jin took note of the other member near Tetsuo. His name was Ducker. He had a dark yellow cloak, yellow top with a light metal chest plate, brown pants and boots, black fingerless gloves and a gray beanie. He had blue eyes and dark yellow hair. Jin took note of the dagger he had.

'He must be a thief or treasurer of the guild. He does look easy-going so it's fine to trust him.' Jin thought.

The last person was the leader, Keita. He had short brown hair and brown eyes and was dressed in light, brown clothing with a metal chest guard, metal shoulder armor on both his shoulders, metal bracers on both of his arms. He also had black, fingerless gloves that extended to his forearm and dark boots. Keita's trousers are of a paler shade of brown than his top. Both Jin and Kirito noticed the staff on his back, indicating he was a bojutsu practitioner.

"Everyone, this celebration is called for our success in the field. This goes to Kirito-san, who saved us all from an untimely death. Cheers!"

'It's not something that I don't do in a rare event…' Kirito thought.

Jin was still silent. He hasn't uttered a word to anyone yet. Sachi went up to him, having seen him.

"Um… May I ask what your name is?" She asked meekly.

"It's Jin… I'm a friend of Kirito." Jin replied in a quiet tone.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jin-san." Keita said.

"Likewise. Just think of me as a friend, despite how quiet I am." Jin said.

Keita then shifted his attention to Kirito.

"I hope this isn't invading your privacy, but what is your current level?" He asked.

Kirito was internally nervous. He decided to not to reveal his true level.

"I'm level 20." Kirito lied.

Jin quickly looked at Kirito and noticed his current level was 41. He frowned in response.

"Wow… You're level 20, yet you were able to do a lot for a solo player. Why don't you join our guild, Kirito-san?" Keita asked.

Kirito chose to join the guild in response. Jin sighed and remained quiet, but he did cast a quiet glare. None of the members nor Kirito noticed the glare.

"Why don't you join our guild, Jin?" Sachi asked.

"I'm sorry, but I must decline… I was intending to find some information on a task I'm intending to take care of. However, I will stick along temporarily." Jin replied.

Sachi understood Jin's response and respected him. By then, Jin decided to take a walk outside to catch some fresh air to soothe his thoughts. Kirito and Sachi noticed him leaving the Taft.

"Is he a gloomy person, Kirito-san?" Sachi asked.

"He acts like that because he's more of a loner. Deep down, he cares for others." Kirito said.

"He's also a solo player like you?" Keita asked.

"Yes, but his sword skills have more versatility than I do. If I were to fight Jin, he would licked me." Kirito admitted.

The guild chuckled from the double meaning. However, Kirito felt the need to step out and talk with Jin.

"I'll go head out and get some fresh air. I'll be back." He said.

######

Outside of Taft, Jin was sitting at a field, overlooking a river flowing nearby. The full moon was shining in the dark sky. Jin was able to sense Kirito's presence thanks to his detection skill being fully trained.

"Jin… You okay?" Kirito asked.

"You know you don't have to lie to them in regarding about your current level. Are you that scared of admitting them of being beater so you can escape your loneliness? You know they'll come to know your true self eventually." Jin said.

"I know… However, I'm more concerned of your decision, Jin… Are you truly prepared in killing players off, knowing the fact they'll truly die?" Kirito questioned with suspicion.

"I have to… I have to kill them for all the lives they have taken, despite knowing they'll die. If nothing is done to prevent this, then more innocent players will suffer the consequences. I'd give up my heart and soul just to protect others and take ridicule in place of happiness. If I end up being labelled as a criminal or a killer, so be it. I'll endure the mental torture if I have to while I hunt down every single PK guild." Jin said.

"You're willing to go through such hell to protect others… You're a kind person to make such heavy sacrifices for the sake of the other players." Kirito said in admiration.

######

The next month, Kirito was with the Moonlit Black Cats, training in the field of Floor 20. Jin was instructing the members on timing their attacks. This allowed them to dish out major damage against the monsters.

"Alright! I leveled up!" Tetsuo said in victory.

"That's what helps you fight off monsters at a much easier scale. Even a low level player can achieve the impossible in learning this method." Jin said.

Sachi looked at Jin, who was lecturing the members on ways to attack different monsters. This provided them with boosted confidence from the information that he gave. Sachi smiled in response, seeing that despite his cold expression on his face, he was trying to prep them all for anything to ensure their survival.

"Now you're getting it… Strike that killer mantis and you won the battle." Jin said.

By then, Keita came up with a newspaper. Everyone gathered after training in the fields.

"So the front lines have made it to Floor 28. The game is 1/4 cleared. At least our hope has not been lost from our grasp." Kirito said.

'Yeah… But how long will it take for us to reach the top floor? A year? Two years…? No one knows as of yet.' Jin thought.

Sachi noticed how quiet Jin was. Before she could ask why, he unsheathed his sword and performed a Homura Dama on a killer mantis, burning the monster down.

"Let's not drop our guard here… More of them are coming…" Jin said.

By then, a dozen killer mantises came in. The guild each took down two of them, leaving one for Jin.

 **"Hiken: Hi Nami!"**

A fiery wave rushed to the killer mantis at incredible speeds, slicing it clean in half.

"Wow that was awesome!" Keita said.

Jin sighed and placed Asahi back in its scabbard.

"We should head back to Taft… More of them are starting to gather here because of the noise we made… Although I can handle them all, you guys won't…" Jin said.

"I haven't had a chance to ask your current level, Jin. What is it?" Keita asked.

"I'm level 47 right now." Jin admitted.

'Level 47!? Dang Jin… Even if I were sneaking out to train myself at night, you're one step ahead of me…' Kirito thought with shock.

"Level 47!? No wonder you're that strong… That sword also says everything." Keita said.

"Asahi… The morning flame sword… It was a reward for the boss fight in Floor 35." Jin said.

"You soloed that boss!? That's crazy!" Kirito said.

"At least I made an extra step for everyone to clear this game." Jin retorted.

######

That night, the Moonlit Cats guild was in a panic. Sachi mysteriously fled from the inn.

"Where did Sachi go!? This is not like her to suddenly leave us without a note!" Keita said.

"I'll help track her down… I already maxed out my tracking skills so I can find her, even if she's using any invisibility clothing." Jin said.

"Alright Jin. Hurry though. The leader is really concerned." Kirito said.

He hurriedly went outside to find Sachi sitting near the river in Taft. Jin slowly walked to where Sachi was sitting. She was shaking a lot.

"I know you're here, Sachi… I trained my tracking skills to sense anyone if they're invisible or hiding nearby." Jin said.

"Jin-kun… I'm scared…" Sachi said in fear.

"I know… Even though I've been fighting constantly to get stronger, I can't shake the threat of dying either. No matter what, every warrior has to face that fear and move forward to become strong… No matter how one is experienced, that threat is always encroaching." Jin admitted.

"How were you able to cope with that feeling? Sachi asked.

"I kept myself believing that I'll succeed in the battle. I didn't let the fear control me. Rather, I changed it to courage and charged forward. Plus, it's a desire to protect those that I care for…" Jin said.

Sachi stared at Jin with surprise. She couldn't help but see how complex he was.

"You're a nice person, Jin. You were worried about us so we had you train us to prepare for any battles. I'm happy for what you have been doing." Sachi said calmly.

"I won't allow the people I've met die in my sight… I've been through this a few times seeing someone I briefly know lose their life in battle… I won't allow that to happen." Jin said, recalling Diabel's final words.

Sachi couldn't say anything as she saw Jin's face showing battle fatigue. She then held Jin's left hand, noting how warm it was.

"Thank you, Jin… You have been a source of hope to me." Sachi said.

Jin's face turned rosy in response. He looked away to hide his blushing.

######

Jin was in his room, about to fall asleep. Before he had a chance to do so, he heard the door being knocked.

"It's open." Jin said.

Sachi came in, holding a pillow.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep really well." Sachi said shyly.

Jin understood her reason. She was still afraid.

"It's okay… If you're still feeling scared, you can sleep with me." Jin said.

Sachi smiled and placed her pillow near Jin's. Both of them went in the covers. Sachi took note of how warm it was when being near him.

"It's so warm… I haven't felt something like this…" She said.

"The leader will be raiding another dungeon in Floor 27. We managed to save enough Cor for you all to buy a house that can act as the guild's headquarters in the City of Beginnings." Jin said.

"Despite everyone fighting to get strong, I'm still scared…" Sachi said.

"If you continue to stay in the guild, your chances of surviving will increase. One day, we'll be able to go back to the real world. Remember, Sachi… There are a lot of players who are afraid of dying like you. Despite that, they still cling on to life, enjoying it to the fullest. We will survive through this nightmare… I assure you that." Jin said.

Sachi then moved her hands to touch Jin's left palm. She noted they were burning up.

"Your hands are starting to burn…" She said.

"That's probably an innocuous side effect from the sword style I use… Since my attacks are fire-oriented, my avatar exerts signs of hyperthermia, despite having no problems prior." Jin said.

"You're like a radiator." Sachi giggled.

Jin chuckled from the response. They both slept comfortably in the night.

######

The guild, along with Jin, were in a labyrinth in Floor 27. The date was June 12, 2023. Keita was off, buying a new home for the guild in Floor 1.

"We should have no problem with this dungeon at our current levels." Ducker said.

'I don't like this ominous feeling… Something about this dungeon doesn't feel right…' Jin thought.

By then, Tetsuo found an entrance to a hidden room. Immediately, Jin sensed something dangerous coming from the room. However, there was only a treasure chest.

"Guys… I'm getting a BAD feeling about this room… It would be a wise choice to move away from it." Jin said.

"Are you certain by that?" Kirito asked.

"No doubt… Most hidden rooms in any RPG adventure game act as traps. Placing a treasure chest also makes it more convincing to fool players. This usually results in an ambush." Jin explained.

The guild and Kirito was surprised on his deduction. They were reluctant to go into the room after hearing what Jin said.

'Smart thinking, Jin… You saved us from a death trap.' Kirito thought with a relieved exhale.

"Well… Let's head to another room and see if we can find anything else." Sasamaru said.

Everyone nodded in response. They continued to explore the labyrinth till they found an open room. Jin was unable to sense anything in it. There was a treasure chest in the middle of the room.

"Lucky us… Let's see what's inside." Ducker said.

Jin was about to realize what the room was, but it was too late. Ducker then opened the chest but found nothing. Before anyone knew it, the room was surrounded with monsters. There were dark dwarf miners and granite elementals.

"These are high level monsters…! Everyone, stand back! I'll take care of this…" Jin growled.

Kirito moved everyone to a corner as Jin began to destroy the monsters around him.

 **"Hiken: Yasai no Hi!"**

The blast of fire managed to hit the nearby monsters, killing them instantly. Most of them focused their attention to Jin, but he kept them at bay.

"Damn it… They just keep coming!" Jin grunted.

'Damn it… This is an anti-crystal zone… We can't escape this…!' Kirito thought.

"KIRITO! See that chest!? Destroy it so the trap can be disabled!" Jin shouted as he pushed the monsters back.

" **Hiken: FUNKA!"**

An eruption of flames caused the monsters around him to be turned to ash. Kirito quickly went to the treasure chest and slashed it with his sword. However, one more granite elemental was about to hit Sachi. This made her panic and moved back from it. Jin, seeing the last monster, quickly dashed towards it, wreathing his sword in fire.

 **"Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

Jin moved in a rolling somersault, slicing the monster down.

"Are you okay?" He asked to Sachi.

Sachi nodded in response. The room door finally opened, letting everyone out. They then used their warp crystal to teleport back to Floor 11, shaken by the sudden ambush.

######

Keita arrived in a hurry after hearing his guild survived a high level ambush. He was grateful for Jin's efforts in protecting them, but Jin had a visible scowl.

'Damn this nightmare, Kayaba… Making an ambush site for these players is just as cold hearted as the PK guilds… I'm tired of all these relentless deaths because of you!' He thought, showing an angered expression.

He then stood up, his bangs covering his eyes.

"I need some fresh air… Let me have some privacy for a moment… I don't feel like talking…" Jin said, holding his anger at bay.

He slowly walked outside, heading to the open fields in Floor 20. There, he noticed several killer mantises approaching him. Having found something to take his anger at, Jin bellowed out a powerful warrior yell and charged at the monsters. Using the Secret Swords mixed with the normal sword skills, he began to turn the monsters into confetti. Sachi was able to trace his footsteps and found him slicing the monsters around him. She noticed his eyes were showing a crazed expression.

'Jin… What happened to you…?' She thought in concern.

Jin continued his relentless onslaught. He didn't even pay attention to his health bar reaching to the yellow state. This made Sachi yell out for him.

"Jin! Your HP is running low!" She yelled.

Her words fell in deaf ears as Jin continued fighting.

 **"Hiken: Shukuchi Hachi!"**

Upon hearing the skill name, Sachi watched as Jin quickly and effectively slice down the last 8 monsters surrounding him. They all stood in place before he spun his sword and placed it back in his scabbard. They all shattered into polygons. Jin collapsed, mentally and physically fatigued. Kirito and the other guild members arrived just to see Jin fall.

"Is he alright?" Keita asked.

"He tired himself out… But his HP is below 50%... He must have felt guilty for not being able to inform us about that trapped room in the labyrinth…" Sasamaru said.

"I can't blame him… He nearly went berserk when a player tried to insult him for trying to save a dying player but failed." Kirito said in a solemn tone.

Sachi held on to Jin as he was regaining his lost stamina. He eventually slowed his breathing but he shifted his gaze away from everyone.

"Why did you follow me…?" He asked reluctantly.

"We were worried about you… You suddenly walked away and vanished to this place. We thought we were to blame for making act like this." Sachi said.

"I blame myself for not being prepared for that ambush in that labyrinth. If only I didn't drop my guard down…" Jin said in guilt.

Sachi looked at him and hugged him, stopping his self-loathing.

"You saved us all from that dungeon… How can we not feel grateful to you for saving our lives like Kirito-san did?" Tetsuo said.

Jin was able to overcome his anger and regained his sense of reasoning.

"Listen for what I'm about to say… I won't be joining the Moonlit Black Cats… I'm on a personal quest, clearing this hellish game and freeing everyone from it." Jin said.

"But you have limits for being a solo player… You told me that my chances for survival would increase if I stay in the guild. Why don't you?" Sachi said.

"I'm already strong enough to take the front lines on my own… However, I have some new skills to learn that will come in handy in future battles. I don't want anyone to carry the same burdens I'm holding. It's too risky to the point you could die from what I'm doing." Jin said.

The guild understood his reasoning, but they still felt grateful for him.

"We'll leave a spot for you in case you want to join us, Jin. I don't care whether you're a beta tester or a high level player. You saved our lives, that's what matters." Kieta said.

Jin made a solemn smile before he stood and was prepared to leave. Before he had a chance to, Sachi held his right hand and quickly moved to him. Jin didn't expect her to suddenly kiss him on the left cheek.

"Save us all, Jin." She said in a calm tone.

With his spirit renewed, Jin nodded and teleported away to the front line.

######

The time was December 24, 2033. The game caused snow to pile in Jin was out in Floor 35 at the Forest of Wandering. He heard of a possible revival item from the Christmas event. He was walking in a forest of fir trees.

'Nicholas the Renegade… According to the information brokers, the boss should arrive here… The item will ensure the safety for the Moonlit Black Cats.' Jin thought.

He then noticed Klein nearby with his guild, intending to find the same item.

"Klein… You too huh?" Jin said.

"It's been a while Jin and that's all you have to say? You're not very good in conversing." Klein said.

"I just need to seek this item out… I have a hunch the other guilds will be coming as well." Jin said.

"They are… We'll let you get the item." Klein said.

"Thanks." Jin said, walking deep into the frozen forest.

Klein and his guild eventually noticed a large number of players coming in.

"The Holy Dragon Alliance…!? I guess even they would go for the chance to get a rare item." Klein said in surprise.

######

The cold, silent forest was a quiet trip to Jin. No sounds of any monsters other than the wind blowing at his face.

'Trudging through this forest is harsh because of the air… I have to overcome the cold air if I want to fight the event boss.' He thought.

His body was producing visible steam due to his hyperthermia. Jin continued to ignore the cold air as his hyperthermia kept him from feeling cold. The journey was like a reflection of his life up to now in SAO. He found a giant fir tree at the end.

'It should arrive here…' Jin thought.

A flying sleigh was shown. Immediately, a giant, deformed figure of Santa Claus dropped from the sky. It made metal groaning sounds.

"You're in my way…" Jin said coldly.

He then charged forward, fighting the boss to the death.

######

Several hours have passed. Jin was able to defeat the boss and acquired the item. He then examined it.

"'Divine Stone of Returning Soul'… Use it on a player 10 seconds after death…?" Jin read.

He felt despondent. He couldn't use it to revive someone after dying in long term.

'The only use this item has is prevention of short-term death… At least Sachi will have a second chance.' Jin thought, hopeless.

He then exited the forest, not noticing the number of players exhausted from their guild battle. Klein noticed Jin, who had a thousand-yard-stare look. He immediately knew what Jin was experiencing.

"Jin…! You have to survive! Survive till the end so we can beat this game!" Klein said in tears.

Jin remained standing, not making a response.

"I'm forever reliving the deaths of others due to my failed attempts to protect others… Day by day, night by night… It's a nightmare that I'll forever relive." Jin said, walking away.

Klein felt terrible for him. Seeing Jin depressed made him feel terrible.

######

Back in Floor 1, Jin made his way to the hideout of the Moonlit Black Cats. He provided them the revival item to Keita.

"Use it quickly if someone dies near you. Don't take it for granted." Jin said.

"You went through all that trouble to provide us this item? Jin, you have done more than enough for us." Sasamaru said.

"We're forever grateful, Jin. Go and clear this game so we can all be free." Keita said.

Sachi walked up to him and smiled for his caring actions.

"I'm thankful that you care for everyone. Go and clear your quest, Jin. We'll all be waiting till the day this game is over." Sachi said.

Jin nodded and teleported to a different location.

######

It was February 16, 2033. Jin recently heard news of a PK guild called Titan's Hand gathering new members and preparing to raid other guilds. He was drinking at a tavern to drown his sorrow off. Upon hearing the news of the PK guild, he stood up, paid his tab, and set off to find his target.

'They're located in Floor 19, Hill of the Cross. So much for covering their tracks.' Jin thought coldly.

He teleported to his destination, fire wreathing on his sword.

######

The Hill of the Cross was a gloomy place. Much of the area was shaped from sand due to the winds. The sand was so fine, it created a dusty fog, obscuring one's vision from far away. Several dead trees were strewn in the area.

'Perfect place for Titan's Hand to hide at. Any PK guild would be hiding here.' Jin thought.

He trudged his way through the dead forest till he noticed what appeared to be a meeting place for the whole guild. A total of 70 players were shown. He could see them all having an orange cursor, indicating they recently killed innocent players, causing Jin to growl angrily.

"So, when will we attack the guild?" One of the members asked.

"Our leader will inform us when. For now, hold your excitement." Another member answered.

"I wouldn't count on it." Jin's voice echoed.

The guild members were startled when they heard his voice. They then noticed a lone figure approaching them from the dusty fog.

"What do you want with us?" A member questioned Jin.

"I'm ordering you to disband this guild immediately. Do so or face certain death." Jin threatened.

"Hah? You think you can take us all? You must have balls of steel if you think you're capable of taking us all down." One of the members said.

"I'm more than capable of doing so… I'll say it again… Either disband this guild or face true hell." Jin persisted.

"Someone needs to teach you how to speak. Alright everyone, let's take him out!" One of the members called out.

"Then you leave me no choice." Jin said coldly.

His gray eyes turned red. He then brought Asahi out, the sword wreathed in flames.

 **"Hiken: Hi Nami!"**

The wave of flames moved its way to slice the members down. In one shot, 10 of the guild members perished. Jin's cursor turned from green to orange in response.

"Kill him!" One of the members said in shock.

 **"Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

Jin performed a rolling, fiery attack that made him turn into a fireball, dashing through 13 people. They all disappeared in polygons the moment the flames engulf them.

"He's just one man! Take him down!" One of the members shouted.

 **"Hiken: Yasai no Hi!"**

The nearby guild members ended up catching fire. Like a chain reaction, anyone nearby that caught fire ended up spreading the flames. All but 13 person watched the hellish chorus of the players being burned alive.

"M-monster…!" One of the surviving members said.

Jin didn't stop his onslaught. He went into basic battojutsu stance and quickly unsheathed his sword at rapid speeds. Each cut not only was lethal, it burned the players who survived the initial blow. Only one person was left. He was too scared to attack, let alone move. It was then that he realized the person who was fighting.

'Only one player would have those kind of skills…! That's the **Blaze Swordsman**! The Fiery Battosai!' The person thought.

Jin looked at the last survivor who was shaking in complete fear.

"Do not let me see you kill any more players. Otherwise, I'll hunt you down and turn you into ash in an instant. Send this incident as a message to everyone so any PK guild will know my wrath." Jin said.

The surviving member did not hesitate to teleport and flee from the area.

######

In Floor 4, Kirito was resting in a place called Rovia. He then heard news of the massacre of the Titan's Hand guild.

"Did you hear? The PK guild, Titan's Hand lost 69 players because a solo player went and burned them out, leaving only one survivor." One of the players gossiped.

"No way… Could it be the Blazing Swordsman? The survivor said he saw him burn his entire group down." Another player said.

Kirito frowned upon hearing what they said. Jin was making his presence known. This resulted in the title becoming coming till another also came: The fiery Battosai.

'So you decided to make your move… Jin, I hope you're prepared for the consequences of your actions.' Kirito thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: Flare of Redemption

I do not own anything from SAO nor Rurouni Kenshin.

The time was February 19, 2034. Jin secluded himself back in Shishio's cave in Floor 1, finishing his training with the Secret Swords. He managed to pick up a new skill due to the rigorous training with Shishio, despite him fighting for 15 minutes. The new skill was called the Houken. It was a powerful skill capable of unleashing a powerful torrent of fire. The range of the attack was much larger than the Homura Dama, capable of reaching 5 meters away.

'I still can't get this feeling off of me…' Jin thought.

Jin was plagued by his slaughter of the Titan's Hand. He remembered the awful screams as the players were consumed in flames till they shattered into polygons. The horrific expressions they showed have been a constant nightmare for him. This shook him to the point he no longer responded to Kirito's or Klein's messages. Shishio was watching Jin, seeing his mind being fractured, evident by how hard he was focusing on his training.

'He's conflicted with his emotions… Will he have the drive to face me to be the successor of the Secret Swords?' Shishio thought.

Jin continued performing the Houken, releasing large amounts of heat. His hyperthermia became the drive to execute the technique, but it left him in near hypothermia in result.

"Settle down, my apprentice. You have exhausted yourself training with this one. Sort your thoughts out before taking the sword on your hand." Shishio said.

Jin, listening to his master, decided to clear his thoughts through meditation. He sat near a small fire near him, letting the glowing flame provide a sense of peace.

"Jin… My teachings of my techniques are coming close to an end… I have two more skills to provide to you. However, they will require you to sort your thoughts off before you train yourself." Shishio said.

"Sort my thoughts… I believe that is a wise decision, Shishio-sama. I still have conflicting thoughts that have been plaguing me since I came back for training." Jin admitted.

"You have been a successful disciple as of today. I will entrust you with these techniques when you are ready. For now, search inside yourself so you'll have the drive to move forward." Shishio said.

######

Three months have passed… The time was April 19, 2034. Jin was able to master the Houken and understood his ability in conjunction of his hyperthermia. He is currently in Floor 42, walking in a forest. During the three months, Jin undertook several quests to build his strength. During his days off from training and missions, he would hunt down any PK players, ending their schemes. Each time in doing so, losing his reasoning to talk with the players before fighting.

'It's been a hellish road for me in SAO… No matter how much I do for everyone's sake, I'm labelled as a 'battosai', or 'The Blaze Swordsman'… It's now a constant reminder of players, both PK and innocent, to suddenly fear my presence. I don't blame them for their reactions, but the number of PK related deaths has diminished.' Jin thought.

Jin was walking in town, casting his eyes away from people with a solemn expression. Many who saw his eyes and recognized him fled in terror. Some were brave enough to see him holding his sorrow from the numerous killings he had done.

"Stay away from him…! He's nothing but a heartless demon!" One of the players called out to a younger male player.

The younger player didn't heed the warning and went to Jin. He touched Jin's leg, causing him to stop.

"Is there something that caught your interest of me?" Jin asked.

"I heard a lot of rumors about you… I don't think you're a heartless demon." The young player said.

"What makes you sure about that? I've lost a lot during my quest here in SAO." Jin said.

"What is your quest then, Blaze Swordsman?" The boy asked.

"Protecting the people from the PK guilds and clearing this game… I don't want any innocent soul in this game to die. I'm prepared for what I need to endure." Jin answered.

A small crowd gathered upon hearing Jin's speech. They were all surprised upon hearing his answer from the young player.

"You're willing to throw away your own heart just to protect others…? I never seen someone become a martyr with such an altruistic belief… Maybe we have wronged you for saving the other players from the PK guilds." A female player said.

"Think whatever you believe about me… I don't care whether I'm treated as a pariah or a martyr. I'm willing to give everything to clear this game, no matter how much it costs of me." Jin said.

He resumed walking across the town, placing a dark robe on and leaving the crowd speechless. By then, he started hearing the local gossip.

"Hey, have you heard? There was a beast tamer in Floor 35 with a party. They're at the Forest of Wandering." One of the players said.

'A beast tamer? I guess that's something new to hear. Now that my curiosity is at its peak, I should take a look and see for myself.' Jin thought, teleporting away with a teleport crystal.

######

At Floor 35, there was a girl, running away from drunken apes. She had hazel hair with two pigtails tied by red ribbons with baubles. Her eyes are a bright hazel color. She was wearing a red coat with a breastplate, a black skirt with matching leggings, black shoes and red fingerless gloves. The sleeves on her coat had an intricate cross design, appearing like a West Syrian cross. Flying above her was a bright blue-green dragon with wings like a bird appearing soft, pale blue. There was two long feathers in place of a tail. Its eyes were a delicate red color.

"I have to get out of here… Those monsters are too strong for me to fight them." She said.

The girl's stamina was starting to catch up to her. She could barely escape from the monsters chasing her.

'No choice… I have to fight them.' She thought, raising her dagger out.

There were three drunken apes chasing her. She was able to wound them, leaving them with their HP at yellow. However, it made them more aggressive. They managed to injure her, causing the girl's HP to go at yellow. The dragon she was with exerted a healing essence that barely healed her, but just enough to move her HP back to green.

"Thank you, Pina." The girl said.

She managed to take down one of the apes. However, her guard was dropped. One of the apes managed to land a powerful blow, sending her flying to a nearby tree. Her HP was at red, almost becoming empty. She also dropped her dagger away from where she hit in the process.

'Oh no… Now I'm in serious trouble…' Sha panicked.

She tried to move away in fear, trying to get some space from the monsters. Unfortunately, they managed to catch up to her and prepared the killing blow. The girl's eyes widened before her dragon suddenly moved in.

"Pina!" The girl said, worried of her dragon.

The dragon's HP rapidly went to zero, causing it to shatter in polygons. A single feather from the dragon was left behind. The girl was in complete shock, unable to move. She couldn't process what was about to happen as one of the drunken apes raised its weapon to strike her down. Before she expected the blow, she heard a loud shout.

" **Hiken: Yasai no Hi!"**

Immediately, all three of the monsters were set ablaze and shattered into polygons. She noticed a familiar figure with a sword writhing in fire.

"Damn, I was too late to save the familiar…" Jin said in self-loathing.

The young girl recognized the Coat of Flames with the Asahi sword. She heard rumors of the fiery battosai, but didn't expect to see him in person. The rumors detailed in how he targeted only PK players instead of non-PK players, providing some sense of relief. Seeing his gray eyes, she could see the internal conflict within his mind. She quickly turned back to the remaining feather of her dragon.

"Pina… It's my fault you sacrificed yourself for my sake…" The girl said in tears.

"There is a way for you to revive your dragon… However, it has a time limit to how long it'll remain in limbo." Jin said.

"Is it true? Is there a way to revive Pina, fiery battosai?" The girl asked, finding a sense of hope.

"So you know of me… Let's disregard that for now. It is possible to revive your familiar. There's an item in Floor 47 that can help. Only a beast tamer can obtain the item." Jin explained.

"I'm not strong enough to go to Floor 47… I would die there." The girl said in slight panic.

"Not to worry. I have the right gear that'll protect you considerably, even at your level." Jin reassured.

He opened his menu and opened an item called 'Robe of the Fire Rat'. The young girl felt the warmth of the robe as she equipped it.

"That robe has amazing defensive stats. The monsters in Floor 47 will have a hard time trying to fight you. However, the item you got from your familiar's death has a time limit… If 3 days have passed, then it'll remain dead with no chance of revival." Jin said.

"We need to hurry then!" The young girl said.

"Easy there. You have been through a lot from what happened just now. Let's try to rest for tonight. You look mentally exhausted. I haven't got a chance to ask for you name though." Jin said,

"Oh, you can call me Silica, fiery battosai." Silica introduced herself.

"Just call me Jin. The infamous title I got is the result of irrational fear from other players." Jin said, gently tapping Silica's forehead.

"You're not like what people said about you." Silica said.

"I know what they say about me, but I don't listen to them. It's their fear that caused them to act like that, giving me this title in result. Knowing this, why haven't you run away from me?" Jin asked.

"You saved my life and you're not a heartless person. You had your reasons for your actions, Jin. Your reasons may have been more beneficial since I heard the number of PK deaths have decreased." Silica said.

"Believe me when I say this. I'm not proud of what I've become." Jin said.

"Then why did you save me and provided me with this much equipment?" Silica asked.

"There are some things, both in life and video games, which can make even a strong man cry. There was someone I knew back in Floor 1, but he perished in a fight." Jin said.

Silica was surprised on what Jin said. It's as though he revealed a part of his guilt to her.

"You're a nice person, Jin. You helped save me and provided me with info on how to bring my familiar back." Silica said with a smile.

'She's very innocent… I blame Kayaba for causing her to experience something near traumatic.' Jin thought.

They then joined together in a party.

######

Silica and Jin were at Floor 35, in a town called Mishe. It was somewhat lively due to lack of players, but it had a unique charm to see the area. Jin began to appreciate the virtual world, despite the game being a deadly place. It's as though he felt at piece which was odd to him. His thoughts were interrupted when two males came up to Silica. One was somewhat obese while the other was average in appearance.

"Silica-chan!" They said.

Silica was surprised when they saw her. She looked somewhat nervous.

"We were worried since you came late." The first boy said.

"Let's go in a party quest. We can go wherever you want." The second one said.

Silica moved back nervously, but she then resort to reason.

"I'm glad that you're all asking me to join, but…"

Silica noticed Jin's right arm hanging lazily. She quickly dashed to his arm and clamed on to him.

"I'll be in a party with this person for a while so I can't join with you guys." Silica said.

The two boys began to cast jealous looks at Jin. They then noticed his coat and sword and quickly moved away from him.

"The fiery battosai! He's here!" The first boy said.

Jin ignored the shouting and continued walking with Silica near him.

"Those were your fans?" Jin asked with curiosity.

"Well, I've been used a mascot whenever I join in their parties. They often call me 'Dragon Tamer Silica' in result. I apologize about what happened." Silica said.

"It's okay. You probably must have gotten full of it after the people gave you such a title. Yours is better than mine though." Jin said with admittance.

"That's how I felt before I lost Pina." Silica said in hinting grief.

"There's no need to cry. We have at least two more days to get the item for your familiar's revival so we have plenty of time." Jin said in a softer tone.

Silica smiled in response as she felt relieved from Jin's reassurance.

"Thank you, Jin." Silica said with a smile.

Jin and Silica made their way across the town, finding an inn to stay for the night.

"Um… Where do you live in SAO?" Silica asked.

"I haven't found a true place to stay… I'm just a drifter, sleeping in different places across Aincrad, even camping out." Jin said, scratching his head.

"Wow, that's amazing. In Mishe, there's an inn that has a delicious cheesecake. We should go there." Silica said.

By then, a female voice suddenly got their attention.

"Oh, if it isn't Silica." The voice said.

Jin and Silica turned to see a slim woman with purple eyes, deep, flame-red hair in wild curls, a flock of which covers her right eye, and lips of the same color. She wears black armor that shines like enamel and wields a slim, cross-shape spear. Jin noticed that she was also wearing an earring on her left ear. Near her were three male players.

"You made it out of the forest. That's a relief." The woman said.

Silica had a depressed expression, which Jin took note of.

"Is everything okay?" He whispered in question.

"Everything's fine." Silica whispered.

The woman went up close to Silica. Jin could see a cocky smirk on her face, making him frown.

"Oh? What happened to the lizard? Could something…?" The woman asked with a slight sadistic tone.

"Pina died protecting me, but I'm bringing her back!" Silica said.

"Oh, so you're going to the Hill of Memories. Considering your level, will you be able to clear it?" The woman taunted.

Jin's eyes turned red, alerting the male players. They got on guard, seeing him like this.

"She can make it, with the right equipment. It's not as hard as one might expect." Jin said.

"Oh, were you seduced by her? You don't look strong to me." The woman asked to Jin.

Jin didn't respond for a brief moment, except letting out a nasal grunt. Before passing the woman, he whispered near her.

"Appearance can be deceiving so choose your next words or actions carefully." Jin warned.

The woman felt a slight chill crawl up her spine. She felt as though she was looking at a lion ready to pounce her at any given second.

######

Silica and Jin were in a tavern. Both were exhausted mentally.

"Why did that woman had to be so mean?" Silica asked.

"You know her?" Jin asked.

"Her name's Rosalia. She's very mean, often asking other players to fight in her stead." Silica said.

"I see… Is SAO your first MMO?" Jin asked.

"Yes." Silica answered.

"In any MMO online game, there are chances of a person's personality changing drastically. Some play the role of a hero, while others play the villain. Some can be very serious. Please note the player cursor above me. It's green right now, but when a player commits a crime, the mark turns orange, an indicator of PK players. Those that commit such atrocities are labeled 'red players', since they have been stained by the blood of the innocent." Jin explained.

"You mean…murderers…?" Silica said in shock.

"In any game, it's easy for one to assume the role of a villain, once your thoughts run rampant. Here in SAO, it's the real deal. They may or may not understand the concept of killing other players, other than being sadistic." Jin continued.

Silica noticed how tense he looked, giving a far off look.

"Jin-san…" Silica said in concern.

This made him snap back. Jin saw her face looking concerned for him.

"You're a nice person, Jin. I told you that you save my life. That is more than enough for me to trust you." Silica said, placing her hands on Jin's.

'They feel so warm…' Silica noted in thought.

"Thanks for cheering me up, Silica. I appreciate it." Jin said gratefully.

Silica blushed up and let go of his hands. She was so embarrassed she nearly freaked out.

"Um… The cheesecake is rather late! Excuse me, our dessert hasn't arrived yet…" She said in a hurry, failing to hide her embarrassment.

Jin quietly chuckled but smiled in response.

######

Silica was in her room, dressed in her underwear. She felt embarrassed after her recent ramp.

'If I told him that I wanted to talk with him more, would he laugh at me?' She wondered in thought.

By then, she heard her door being knocked.

"Silica, are you up? Mind if I come in?" Jin asked.

"Jin-san?" Silica said in surprise.

"I forgot about the details that I was intending to share with you in regards about Floor 47. We can do this tomorrow if you want." Jin said.

"It's okay. We can talk about it here…" Silica said.

Before she had a chance to open the door, Silica realized that she was only wearing her underwear. She quickly got herself dressed, although she was rather embarrassed. Jin eventually went inside, noticing Silica looking very still.

'That was too close…' Silica thought in embarrassment.

"Is everything okay, Silica?" Jin asked.

"Oh, it's nothing… Just a stray thought." Silica said quickly.

Jin didn't question any further in respect of her privacy. He then showed a strange, yellow sphere-like item with intricate designs.

"What is that, Jin-san?" Silica asked.

"That's a mirage sphere. You'll see what it does." Jin said.

He then pushed a button, resulting in the sphere creating a pillar of light with a crystal ball in between. The pillar expanded into a sphere, providing a 3-D image of Floor 47.

"Wow… How beautiful." Silica said in amazement.

"This section here is Floor 47. That's where we'll be heading to. We'll arrive in the town first before heading to the Hill of Memories." Jin said.

"Is there a route to finding the revival item?" Silica asked.

Before Jin could answer, he sharpened his sense and felt a presence nearby.

"Jin?" Silica asked quietly.

He 'shushed' Silica and silently equipped his sword. Jin quickly walked to the door, slamming it open. The door was quick enough to hit a person eavesdropping them.

"A spy… I'm lucky to catch him in the act before he fled." Jin said.

He then picked the spy up. The person was male and looked frightened, seeing Jin's eyes turning red.

"Who sent you to spy us?" He interrogated.

The person didn't respond and shook off from Jin's grip. He quickly ran outside, but Jin was able to run up to him.

######

Outside the inn, Jin was able to catch up to the spy. He was able to send a message to a contact unknown to Jin. Before he could interrogate him, the spy pulled out a purple vial. Jin knew what he was about to do.

"Don't do it!" He yelled.

The spy drank the contents and quickly collapsed in pain. Jin noticed his HP reaching at red before hitting to zero. Jin was mortified, seeing someone poison himself to prevent him from revealing anything.

'Damn it… Probably one of the PK guilds must have sent this spy on us… Bastard had to choose suicide instead of life.' Jin thought shaken from the occurrence.

######

Back in Silica's room, she was waiting for Jin to come back.

"Did the spy get away?" Silica asked.

Jin shook his head, holding the purple vial from the spy. Silica didn't knew what he meant.

"He poisoned himself to death, preventing me from finding out who sent him…" Jin said.

Silica gasped, hearing a player suddenly commit suicide.

'How terrible… He must have seen it right in front of him…' Silica thought with concern.

"He heard everything… I have a hunch they're planning an ambush. The people whom he contacted, that is." Jin said.

######

The day was April 20, 2024. Jin and Silica arrived at Floor 47 via teleportation gate. They were in a place called Floria, a beautiful settlement of flowers.

"How beautiful… It feels like I'm in a dream…" Silica said, amazed to see the flowers.

"The entire floor here is known as the Flower Garden. Everywhere you see in this place is all these flowers blooming here." Jin said.

Silica was so happy, she went up close to a batch of flowers, smelling the scent. Jin was also amazed to see them, despite visiting the area once. The very aura of the area made him more cheerful.

'It's very relaxing to come and rest here… It's becoming therapeutic for me…' Jin thought with a soft smile.

Silica then noticed a large number of couples in the vicinity. This made her blush beet red, thinking she and Jin were a couple in the area. Jin noticed her face turning red.

"Are you okay, Silica?" Jin asked, oblivious of Silica's thoughts.

"I-I'm okay." Silica responded.

"Oh… Let's head to the Hill of Memories then." Jin encouraged.

"Okay." Silica said with a soft smile.

######

On their way, Jin provided a blue crystal to Silica. This made her confused on why he gave her the item.

"What is this?" Silica asked.

"Just in case… If I tell you to warp away to a different floor due to circumstances, don't hesitate to use this crystal. It'll warp you to a safe haven." Jin explained.

"But… Will you be alright?" Silica asked.

"I'll be fine. Promise me you won't risk yourself for my sake." Jin requested.

"Alright… I understand." Silica said.

They then went their way to the Hill of Memories.

######

The Hill of Memories was a beautiful open field dungeon. A carpet of flowers was shown as far as the eye could see. Silica was about to talk with Jin.

"Um… Jin-san…" Silica said.

She was then interrupted when a vine ensnared her right leg. Another vine finally ensnared her left leg. Silica was suddenly lifted in the air by a plant monster that looked like a giant sunflower with a mouth. In embarrassment, she managed to pull the hem of her skirt down, only for her to notice the monster's mouth. This made her panic in result, causing her to flail her dagger around.

"Calm down, Silica! That monster is rather weak so you can kill it." Jin said.

"Jin-san, please save me! But don't look at me!" Silica said.

Jin merely had a poker face while looking away.

'How could one save you and not look at you at the same time…?' He thought in question.

"Stupid monster… That's enough!" Silica said.

She then grabbed one of the vines from the monster and cut it down. Silica then swung to the next one and cut it down as well. She then dived her way and stabbed the creature on a white spot. It made a death rattle before shattering into polygons. Jin was able to catch her before she fell on the ground. Silica looked embarrassed as Jin held her in a bridal style.

"D-did you see anything?" She asked nervously.

Jin merely tilted his head in confusion.

"See what?" He asked.

"Never mind." Silica said, blushing.

They continued their journey before two plant monsters appearing like Venus flytraps appeared. Jin held his hand out and quickly attacked them with Homura Dama, softening them up. Silica finished them off with a quick stab.

"I've been meaning to ask, Jin-san. Why were you called the 'fiery battosai'?" Silica asked.

"I've been hunting down any PK guilds who took the lives of the innocent. They think they can get away with murder, but they won't. It's a constant nightmare that can drive anyone insane. I've been risking my all to protect everyone from them." Jin said.

"You made your choice to protect everyone despite how much it wounds you in your heart… I could never be that strong like you." Silica said.

"You were able to reassure me, Silica. That alone proves that you're strong yourself." Jin said with a smile.

By then, they were suddenly ensnared in a trap caused from a hidden monster. It looked like a sea anemone in appearance. Jin quickly brought his sword out.

" **Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

Jin moved in a rolling somersault, cutting the creature in pieces. Silica was amazed that he was able to do so in an athletic way.

######

Jin and Silica were at a stone pedestal surrounded by a field of mint-green grass.

"Is this where the revival item is?" Silica asked.

"Yes. It should be at the pedestal for you to obtain." Jin said.

Silica noticed a square shaped pedestal that suddenly glowed in a yellow light. From the small patch of soil, a mystical, white plant grew in front of her eyes. The plant was similar to a beautiful tulip opening like a radiant star. It had seven petals, making it look like one. Silica was amazed to see such a beautiful sight.

"Take it. It's the item you need to revive Pina." Jin said.

Silica gently took the flower, holding it close.

"This item will revive Pina, right?" Silica asked.

"Of course, but we should revive Pina in a safe zone. There are some monsters other than the ones we faced that are dangerous. Let's back into town before we revive your familiar. I'm sure she preferred it that way." Jin said.

Silica was notably shedding tears of joy. Her hope of bringing back her familiar was now within her grasp.

"Thank you, Jin-san." Silica said with a tearful smile.

######

Jin and Silica were on their way back to town. He then felt several presences in a distance, causing him to halt Silica.

"You guys can come out… I already sensed you're here." Jin called out.

From the trees, Rosalia came out. She had a cocky smirk.

"Rosalia-san?" Silica said in surprise.

"If you were able to see through my hiding skill so well, you probably have good observation and sensing skills." Rosalia called out.

She then made her way to the path, holding her cocky smirk.

"It seems you also acquired the Pneuma Flower as well. Congrats for you two. Now hand it over." Rosalia demanded.

Jin had an amused expression. This made Rosalia on guard.

"You think you have a chance in beating me? Big mistake, considering I could turn you to ash, leader of the orange guild, Titan's Hand." Jin said, his eyes slowly changing red.

"She's a green player though, Jin-san." Silica said.

"It's a common PK trick. A green player acts as a scout, finding potential targets before leading them to an ambush for the red players to attack." Jin explained to Silica.

He then focused his attention to Rosalia.

"One of your spies was watching us last night till he committed suicide by poisoning. I suppose it was you who sent him." Jin accused.

"Then, that reason I was stuck with you in your party for two weeks…" Silica paused.

"Yes… I was assessing their strength, waiting for them to collect money from adventures." Rosalia said with a sadistic tone.

Silica moved back, clinging on to Jin's right arm.

"You were the most potential target to me. It was unfortunate that you left, but when I heard that you were attempting to collect a rare item, it became my main focus. Knowing that, you already made your mind and found it. You must be an idiot or someone she seduced." Rosalia taunted.

Silica looked tense before Jin snickered. It was a brief laugh but they both heard him. It was an unnerving sound.

"Your expectations are not what you presumed. I joined with Silica on my own free will. Plus, I was also looking for you, Rosalia-san." Jin said, his tone evidently getting creepy.

"What do you mean by that?" Rosalia asked.

Jin's face then turned serious, unnerving Rosalia.

"Your guild laid an attack on another one named Silver Flags ten days ago. All but the leader died." Jin said.

"Oh… Those people with no money…" Rosalia said, twirling her hair.

"The leader constantly went to the front lines, fighting and earning money to the point of exhaustion. He begged for anyone to avenge his comrades. However, he didn't want you to die. He wanted you to be imprisoned. You have no idea how much suffering he went through." Jin explained.

"And what of it? It's not my problem. We don't even know if dying here in SAO will cause us to die as well. More importantly, shouldn't you be concerned about your life?" Rosalia said, snapping her fingers,

From the nearby trees, several players came in. Silica noted them immediately and counted up to 9 people.

"They're all orange players! We should run, Jin-san!" Silica said.

"Numbers in strength… A fairly poor tactic if you don't know who you're fighting with… Silica, stand back. I'll deal with them. Just keep the teleport crystal ready in case." Jin said.

"Jin-san!" Silica called out.

Jin brought Asahi out, the flames licking on the blade fiercely. The players then recognized the person and were afraid.

"Flame design clothing. Eyes with palpable rage. Sword techniques that are fire-oriented and are katana skills… Don't tell me, that's the Blaze Swordsman, aka the Fiery Battosai!" One of the orange players said.

"Rosalia, this person was the one who destroyed most of the guild all by himself. There was one survivor but he quit the guild." Another one of orange players said.

"He was able to fight them all on his own?" Silica asked herself in shock.

"Someone of his caliber shouldn't be here, let alone in the front lines! Take him down and take everything he has!" Rosalia said.

The orange players charged up their sword skills and went to Jin. They began attacking him rapidly, but Jin stood there. He kept taking the attacks like it was nothing. Silica watched with concern as she felt useless.

"I have to save him…but what can I do..?" Silica said.

She then noticed Jin's health bar. Despite being cut all over, he suddenly healed to his max HP.

"No way…" Silica said in surprise.

Rosalia, seeing the players exhausted their stamina, was furious.

"What are you guys doing!? Take him down already!" She shouted.

Jin started to laugh. His eyes were closed before opening them up, revealing his eyes being red.

"Is that all? I'm not even surprised. All 9 of you can inflict 514 HP damage in just 10 seconds. As I said before if you heard me, you don't know who you're fighting with." Jin said.

"What do you mean by that?" Rosalia questioned.

"My level is 81. I have 15,700 HP. My battle auto healing skill allows me to regenerate 1570 HP every ten seconds. We can keep going like this all day and you wouldn't even be able to nick me." Jin revealed.

"Is that even possible?" One of the orange players asked.

"No mistake about it. Having such high numbers can nearly make you invincible, but it depends on how skilled a player is in the heat of battle. MMOs using this kind of system tend to be unfair." Jin said.

He then brought his sword out and used a dangerous skill.

" **Hiken: Funka!"**

An eruption of fire surrounded Jin, knocking away the orange players. Jin was able to make sure he didn't outright kill them. The orange players had their HP in the red color and were now afraid of Jin.

"Stay away!" One of them said.

"I'm not done with you guys yet…" Jin said in a threatening tone.

He pulled out a blue crystal in front of them.

"The same leader from the Silver flags used up all his savings to purchase this warp crystal. The coordinates are the Black Iron Palace, where scum like you are treated the way you are by the Army. All of you here are going to repent for your crimes!" Jin yelled out.

The orange players were deeply shocked and couldn't do anything. Rosalia, on the other hand, resisted him.

"I'm a green player, so if you attack me you'll turn orange…" She said in defiance.

Jin quickly went up to her. His sword was blazing wildly, almost touching her jugular. This caused Rosalia to stop talking. She then looked at Jin, only to see a fearsome gaze form his red eyes.

"Just so we're clear, I'm called a battosai for a reason. Turning you and your friends into ash is not the first time I've performed such an act. Unless you want to join your late guild mates in hell, I suggest you shut your mouth before I do so. Being an orange player no longer bothers me." Jin intimidated with a frightful tone.

Rosalia relented, seeing the true threat from him. She dropped her trident in response.

'H-he really is a battosai…! I was too careless…' She thought before she disappeared in the teleport.

######

Jin and Silica were back in Floor 37.

"I must apologize for not fully explaining myself. I used you as bait to catch the last of Titan's Hand. If I did explained to you early, you would be afraid of me." Jin said in an apologetic tone.

Silica shook her head in response with a smile.

"You're a nice person. Jin. It may looked scary, but you protected me and helped me. I don't feel scared with you around." Silica said.

Jin smiled in response.

"Are you about to head to the front lines?" Silica asked.

"Not yet. I haven't completed my training with my sword style, but now I have the spirit to finish it. I'll be with the leading group after I'm done." Jin said.

"You're amazing on your own, Jin. I could never be in the front lines, no matter how much I wish for it." Silica admitted.

"You're strong in a spiritual sense, Silica. It's what gives the people around you the strength to fight and protect. There are more important things in life than just fighting." Jin said.

Silica was surprised on how he was talking with such a wise tone. She couldn't help but admire his spirit.

"Once this game is cleared, we can meet in the real world and talk as friends as the way we are." Jin said calmly.

"I'm sure we will!" Silica said with a bright smile.

"It should be time to revive Pina. Go on." Jin said.

"Right." Silica said.

She went through her menu and brought the remaining feather from Pina dubbed 'Pina's Heart'. She then brought out the Pneuma Flower. A small dew drop slowly moved out of the flower and it landed on the feather, causing it to shine. From it, Pina was revived and looked good as new.

"Thank you so much for helping me, Jin-san." Silica said with a tearful smile.

Jin smiled and gently poked her head with his index and middle fingers.

"This isn't a true goodbye, Silica. We will meet again one day in the real world." Jin said.

Silica smiled before she went up to him and kissed his cheek. Jin blushed in response.

######

Jin was back in Floor 1, holding a red-orange crystal.

"I'm ready." He said with determination.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4: Shishio's true successor.

I do not own anything from Rurouni Kenshin or SAO.

Jin was back inside Shishio's cave. He learned a decent skill from his training, The Hono no Kanji. It allows him to effectively create kanji symbols in fire. Depending on how complex it is, more slash attacks can occur. Jin was able to perform simple calligraphy and created the kanji of fire (火). Shishio was impressed of how fluid he was moving in forming the kanji. Seeing the name, it made him proud to see he chose that one in particular.

"You have exceeded my expectations in such rapid speed, Jin. I have one task for you. This will allow you to learn my final technique, the Kagutsuchi. However, you must face a true threat for you to obtain the secrets of the skill. During the battle, you will learn a new skill in conjunction. You must fight the monster known as the Fire Dragon in Floor 63, the Dragon's Domain." Shishio said.

"This is without a doubt a life-or-death situation. However, you have taught me much in my quest, Shishio-sama." Jin said.

"I know. The quest will test your skill in a sword fight. You must be prepared for it." Shishio said.

"I'm well prepared to fight this boss. My resolve is already made." Jin said.

"Very well then… I wish you luck, Jin. If you are successful, come back here in this place. I'll provide the final test for you." Shishio said.

Jin nodded and was handed a red-orange teleport crystal. He used a blue teleport crystal to teleport to Floor 63.

######

Floor 63 was a hostile area. Several wyverns were flying nearby from the outskirts of the dragon's nest. Jin could feel the heat created from the dragon.

"There's no turning back from this… I have to face the dragon here to succeed." Jin told himself.

He endured the searing heat from the area. It was difficult for him due to his hyperthermia getting the better of him. This nearly got him fatigued from the heat, but he kept pressing forward. He took a knee to regain his lost stamina. Reluctant, he opened his menu to find a jug of water. He drank half of it to fight the heat off.

'They say that crossing in hell is like walking into an inferno. I guess Dante Alighieri would be right in his stories.' Jin mused himself in thought.

He then took notice of the area, noting where the heat was coming from. The entire floor was a volcanically active area. Lava was flowing throughout the floor, heating the air up.

'Even though this is not real, it's like an oven in this place… I have a limit to how long I can last in this area… I don't know how long, but I have to hurry.' Jin thought.

Several slugs of lava suddenly blocked his way, forcing him to fight them off.

" **Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"**

Jin performed a series of slashes that created the kanji for banishment (郙). The monsters stood still as the kanji slashes killed them. The writing dissipated in fire before the fire slugs disappeared in polygons. Jin could feel his body's condition overworking him.

'Fighting these guys is only going to make my hyperthermia worse… I can't waste any time with them.' Jin thought.

The struggle to fight the heat was getting worse. Jin briefly collapsed before drinking from his jug of water. He drank half of the contents, forcing him to rush through the heated passage.

######

Exhausted from the heat, Jin made his way to a crystal cave, where the air was cooler than usual. The heated air was blowing to him, forcing him to move deeper in the cave, He heard what sounded like a giant creature snoring.

'This must be the fire dragon's lair… I would expect the dragon to resist the heat, but it seems even creatures of legend need a break from it.' Jin mused in thought.

Jin tread his way to the cave till he found the dragon's nest. He found the sleeping dragon in front of him. It was six times the height of a 6 foot human.

'Guess this is how Jack felt when he saw the giant…' Jin comically thought.

The dragon felt his presence and woke up. It roared loudly, almost blowing Jin off his feet.

"So you want to fight… I did come here to face you, but you seem eager to fight me. Let the battle begin." Jin said, his eyes glowing red.

The dragon roared in response. A total of seven health bars appeared. It began breathing streams of fire to overwhelm Jin. This caused him to rethink of ways to fight the dragon without getting burned.

'I have to extinguish those flames… I don't stand a chance as they continue burning… Maybe if I use one of my skills, the force of the wind should blow them off.' Jin thought.

He then raised his sword up in a horizontal stance. With it, he then readied himself for the skill he was about to use.

" **Hiken: Shukuchi Kyuu!"**

Each step caused a wind current to blow to the flames, sweeping them off the ground. They extinguished from the speed as Jin continued slicing them with the skill.

'Well that worked nicely than expected, except it just riled the dragon up. I have to focus on finding a vital spot before it shoots more of its flames.' Jin thought.

He then decided to focus on the eyes. Jin leaped up into the air, dodging an incoming fireball. The sudden rush of hot air, caused him to double jump. This gave him the necessary altitude to reach the dragon's back.

"Take this!" Jin yelled.

He thrust his sword into the nape of the dragon's neck, causing it to drop down on the ground. Jin took advantaged of its dazed state and went for its left eye. He dashed at rapid speed and stabbed it quickly. Its HP decreased, taking at least one bar, but Jin knew it was barely an effort to injure the monster.

'I have to fight this thing to the death… Learning the Kagutsuchi may take some time…' Jin thought.

Jin couldn't explain it, but he was instinctively learning the skill. The moment the dragon began to breathe in, he knew it was about to shoot a condensed fireball. He accidentally scraped his sword on the scabbard. Flames erupted, creating a miniature cyclone around the blade.

'This sword technique is my will and spirit to surpass my limits… With one swing, I'll be able to cut through anything that blocks my path… I won't let you get in my way!' Jin thought.

He held his sword with two hands and concentrated his point of attack, finding a specific part of the dragon to attack at. It then shout out a powerful fireball, causing him to double jump from it. Using the extra leap, he quickly descended from the air. His sword was ready to perform an overhead strike.

" **Hiken: Kagutsuchi!"**

With one powerful swing, the fire twister surrounded the dragon, slicing and burning it, taking a chunk of its HP. It was left with only 2 bars remaining, causing the dragon to roar loudly. Jin was completely shocked of what he did.

'Did I just performed the final attack without knowing it…? I remember scrapping my sword on the scabbard… Could it be that what causes the Kagutsuchi to be activated? If so, then one final strike ought to finish this boss off.' Jin thought.

However, the dragon knew what Jin was about to do. It made a powerful fiery claw swipe, injuring Jin in the process.

"Gah! That attack is by no means anything to remain calm… Ugh… My HP is at the red already…" Jin said to himself.

The dragon was attempting to pounce Jin to finish him. However, Jin's mind was numb and suddenly experienced a sudden rush of strength coming to him. He felt his body becoming lighter. His sword began to dance with flames like a raging inferno. He was nearing at death's door, but he was squeezing out all of his strength for one powerful attack.

" **Hiken no Ougi: Tengoku no hi no senko!"**

A powerful aura of fire enshrouded Jin's body. He then moved so quickly, it caused the air to create a brief sonic boom. He rammed right on to the dragon's head and sliced it. The dragon was hit at a vital spot from the head, resulting one of its HP bars to drain away. The dragon roared loudly, holding on to its last HP bar.

"Damn it… This one's tough… Even that technique didn't work to kill it… Is this how I'll die…?" Jin questioned to himself.

His mind snapped, causing him to use one final skill.

" **Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"**

Jin's attack created a sequence. It caused him to perform several slashes in quick speed that created several kanji with fire. The whole writing in result was translated to 'dragon slayer' (滅竜魔導士). The dragon let out a small puff of smoke from its mouth before shattering into polygons.

-Congratulations! You earn Coat of the Fire Dragon!- A visual post read.

Jin was out of breath, both from stamina tax and the heat around him. He briefly collapsed after using a blue warp crystal to rest at Floor 1. He didn't had time to check his inventory to equip his new sword. Before falling, the warp circle enshrouded him just before he collapsed on the floor.

######

Jin was lying unconscious at Floor 1 in the City of Beginnings. There were few players at the area, all whom noticed the unconscious Blaze Swordsman. A familiar group of five people noticed him and ran up to the unconscious boy. They were the Moonlit Black Cats.

"Is he alright?" Sachi asked.

"He looks completely spent… Jin must have pushed himself harshly in a battle…" Tetsuo said.

"Look at him… Parts of his body is burnt… What on earth was Jin facing to leave him like this?" Ducker asked.

"We should provide him some water… He doesn't look like he'll wake up any time soon." Keita suggested.

"Not to mention treat his wounds… His HP is on the red, almost at death's door…" Sasamaru said.

The group took Jin's unconscious body to treat him.

######

It was night time in Aincrad. The Moonlit Black Cats went to a small home they afforded some time ago. Jin was still unconscious. Sachi continued to watch him as he remained in the bed, unmoving.

'Jin… What on earth happened to you that made you like this…?' She thought.

The rest of the members couldn't help but feel pitiful for Jin. They managed to treat his wounds, restoring his HP back to max. His current status effect showed he was unconscious from hyperthermia.

"Come on, man… You can pull through this…" Keita said, trying to reinvigorate Jin's spirit.

Sachi noticed his left hand twitch. Jin made a soft grunt before waking from his unconscious state. Everyone went up to him upon seeing his eyes open.

"Where…am I?" Jin asked.

"Jin, thank goodness you're back!" Sachi said happily.

"Sachi? The Moonlit Black Cats… I owe you guys for helping me…" Jin said gratefully.

"We owe you for helping us, Jin. What happened to you though? It looked like you were in a tough battle." Keita asked.

Jin recalled his battle with the fiery dragon in Floor 63. He then realized he was successful in defeating the boss.

"It was a near suicide mission to complete my training… I went to Floor 63 to face the boss alone. Although I was successful in defeating the boss, it nearly left me in a coma since I was at death door by a small fringe." Jin said.

The guild was shocked on what Jin said. They couldn't believe he was able to not only face a potentially dangerous boss, but defeated it on solo.

"That was a crazy thing to do, Jin. You nearly lost your life for God's sake." Sasamaru said.

"I know… I know that I had a high risk of dying, but the purpose of me going there was to unlock the final skills of the sword style I use." Jin remarked.

"The last sword skills of your style… I recall you use a form of battojutsu. Is that why most of the players in Aincrad gave you the title 'Fiery battosai'?" Tetsuo asked.

"Yes… I was given that title for a reason… I hunt down PK guilds or orange players for the atrocities they have caused. However, it doesn't make much of a difference. A murderer is a murderer, no matter what side one is in." Jin said.

Sachi slapped Jin's face, shocking everyone. This got Jin to look at her with mild surprise.

"Why are you risking so much of yourself!? You risked your dignity, bonds with friends, and your own life just to make sure they all remain alive… That's more than enough for you, Jin. Please don't go too far for what you are doing." Sachi said with tears.

Jin felt his chest turn into stone. He suppressed the heavy feeling, not letting his emotions overcome his thoughts.

"I'm not done yet though… Until this game is cleared, I won't die that easily. I appreciate you all for treating me, but I have to fulfill a certain mission. Once I'm done, I'll explain everything to you." Jin said.

Before the guild could have a chance to ask, Jin used the red-orange warp crystal to teleport back to Shishio's lair.

######

Back in Shishio's lair, Jin made his way to meet with his master.

"I see that you survived the battle and was given the coat. I have one final test for you, Jin. You must face me in combat!" Shishio ordered.

Jin noticed three HP bars near Shishio as his cursor turned from green to red. This got him prepped for an intense battle.

"Shishio-sama… Are you intending to fight me to prove that I'm your successor?" Jin questioned.

"Yes… Plus, you're my salvation from my hell… Defeating me will reward you my ultimate blade that was blessed by a Shinto goddess. It's not like my Mugenjin, which will forever be with me, even in death." Shishio said.

"I'm your only student in your battojutsu techniques, Shishio-sama. Even so, are you willing to go this far to ensure the techniques are passed down only to me?" Jin questioned.

"Yes, the Secret Swords are all yours. The techniques are your own so no one can copy them. You must now carve your way to the heavens and burn those who hinder your progress. Become my successor, Fukuhara Jin!" Shishio said, charging forward.

Jin readied his sword and began to fight to the death to his master. Both combatants were using their sword skills to counter each other's moves.

" **Hiken: Homura Dama!"**

Shishio caused his sword to ignite and began swinging wildly to Jin. This forced him to use a high speed skill in response.

" **Hiken: Shukuchi Ni!"**

Jin used his fast speed to avoid the attacks from the flames caused by the Mugenjin. This caused his sword, Asahi, to ignite in response. He then caused the flames to dance around the blade.

" **Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

The flaming somersault caused Shishio to be on guard. He attempted to block the attack, but was met with fierce resistance. The attack managed to nick his left shoulder, causing the bandages to ignite.

"You have learned well, my apprentice. Keep fighting!" Shishio said with mad glee.

Jin then noticed he was charging at him in close range. This got the young battojutsu practitioner to be in shock. He then picked up a familiar scent.

'Gunpowder!? His gauntlets are filled with gunpowder…!' He thought in shock.

Shishio had a hidden smirk as he then unleashed his next attack.

" **Hiken: Guren Kaina!"**

Using the flames from the Mugenjin, Shishio caused the gauntlets to ignite and create an explosion. The force of the blast was strong enough to send Jin flying to a wall, injuring him in the process.

"Ugh… I didn't expect such an attack like that… It took off half of my HP…" Jin said.

"I haven't begun to use my final technique… You shouldn't be surprised, Jin." Shishio said, charging to him.

Jin quickly back flipped, scraping his sword on the ground. Flames coursed around the blade before he unleashed his next attack.

" **Hiken: Houken!"**

The flames were surrounding Jin's sword, creating a solid form. Shishio was defending himself from the skill but the pressure was powerful.

"Although I may have developed the principals of the skill, I'm not able to perform it due to my body's current condition." Shishio said.

By then, Shishio took a knee as nausea suddenly came to him. He felt the intense burning sensation in his body grow, causing agonizing pain in him. Jin noticed the HP bar was starting to decrease.

'That's right… Shishio-sama can't fight for no more than fifteen minutes… Otherwise, he would risk dying from his own condition…' Jin thought.

By then, Shishio dashed forward to Jin to continue fighting. His body temperature was continuing to rise in response.

"Do not disappoint me, apprentice! Fight me to the death to prove your worth!" Shishio said, becoming delirious.

Jin readied himself and blocked Shishio's attacks. He pushed forward, briefly dazing Shishio before preparing another skill. He scraped his sword on the scabbard, channeling fire on it.

" **Hiken: Kagutsuchi!"**

Shishio noticed the skill and prepared his own technique. Both sword fighters had a miniature fire twister dancing on their blades.

"Let's END THIS!" Jin shouted.

Shishio and Jin ran to strike each other down. They raised their swords up and swung with all their might. A powerful fire twister was created from both of the combatants' power. Jin and Shishio were caught in the tornado and burned in result.

"Ugh… That was a powerful skill for us to combine and clash…" Jin said in pained grunts.

He then noticed Shishio producing red steam. He then realized that Shishio's blood was evaporating from the extreme heat.

"No human would survive in that kind of condition… His blood is starting to evaporate… He's turning himself into a living torch… " Jin said to himself.

"You have become strong like me, Jin… But for any warrior that must remain strong, they must fight harder to achieve such strength. The weak end up being killed and the strong live to tell the tale!" Shishio said.

Jin realized his only hope was the ultimate technique he learned when facing the Fire Dragon back in Floor 63. Having no choice, he prepared himself as Shishio was about to attack him. A fiery aura enshrouded Jin as he prepared his final attack.

" **Hiken no Ougi: Tengoku no hi no senko!"**

The impact of the technique stopped Shishio from where he stood. His body was still hot to evaporate his blood. However, Shishio could no longer move. The attack not only shattered his lower spine but punctured some of his vital organs, extending its lethality. The force was strong enough to shatter his sword.

"Shishio-sama… Why?" Jin said with a hint of sorrow.

Shishio grunted painfully as the heat coursing around him was starting to dissipate.

"Y-you did well…apprentice… You deserve my…ultimate sword… Amaterasu…" Shishio said with weak words.

Mustering what's left of his strength, Shishio provided Jin with a katana that had a unique scabbard. The scabbard had several intricate drawings of flames in the body, leaving the chape and locket untouched.

"Shishio-sama…" Jin said, his tears showing.

"Tears don't suit you well, my successor…. You have unchained my soul and now I can die in peace. Also, don't let my beliefs in Darwinism…take hold of your beliefs. Find the person or people…you want to protect and continue doing so…" Shishio said in his dying breaths.

Shishio gave a small smile before disappearing in polygons. Jin stood where Makoto Shishio was. His fists were shaking as he could no longer hold his sadness at bay.

"DAMN IT ALL!" He bellowed in the cave.

Since Shishio no longer lives in the cave, the heat dissipated in result. Jin was forced to teleport out via warp crystal. Before doing so, he took hold of Shishio's sword, the broken Mugenjin, along with him.

######

Back in the City of Beginnings, Jin was wearing his cloak. He didn't want anyone to see him in his present state. Unfortunately, the Moonlit Black Cats saw through his disguise and found him wandering around town.

"Jin-san!" Sachi called out.

Jin stopped as he held his grief at bay. He then ran to the outskirts, causing the guild to chase after him.

"What's wrong with him? He looks like he's in emotional pain." Keita asked.

"We'll find out if we end up catching him. Let's hurry though." Sasamaru said.

The group eventually caught up to him. They noticed he looked disheveled and emotionally exhausted.

"You guys…" He said, showing his tear-stained face.

Sachi was shocked, seeing him in such a state.

"What happened to you…?" Sachi askes softly.

"My training…is complete, but with a heavy price to pay from my master…" Jin said, showing the guild the broken Mugenjin.

"Who was the person that taught you the current skills you have?" Tetsuo asked.

"Shishio Makoto… The man who can cut and burn anything that stands in his way." Jin said with respect.

The Moonlit Black Cats felt very sorry for Jin. They watched and followed him as he went to a graveyard. He placed what remained of Shishio's sword near a tree. Jin then used one of his sword skills.

" **Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"**

The kanji was burned on the tree. It was Makoto Shishio's name, in respect. Jin took a knee and offered a silent prayer to his master.

'Shishio-sama… I understand why I was trained for this purpose… It made me the ultimate key to clearing this hellish nightmare. It may have seem that my quest is over on my training, but my personal quests are not. I will continue to fight in your honor and spirit till everyone here can leave Aincrad in one piece.' Jin thought as a lone stream of tears came from his right eye.

Sachi and her guild friends all felt terrible for Jin. They the notice him stand up.

"I'll be fine. It was a student-to-master prayer that I was making in honor to my former master." Jin said.

Sachi, in tears, went to Jin and hugged him in response from behind. The warmth from Jin's body was radiating off from him, something Sachi felt.

######

In Floor 45, Kirito was resting in a town when he suddenly began hearing the local gossip.

"Did you hear!? The boss in Floor 63 was defeated!" A male axe wielder said.

"Are you serious!? No one has dared to challenge the Fire Dragon!" A male sword user said.

"I think I saw the Blaze Swordsman entering the domain of the boss. He just went inside the area and killed it." A female spear user said.

"No way… That player is insane! He must be a demon if he survived such a powerful boss!" A male blunt user said.

Kirito was surprised that Jin was able to solo a boss in Floor 63 and a potentially dangerous one.

'To think you managed to progress this far… Jin, you're an amazing player to achieve what you have done… I hope your training is done…' Kirito thought.

By then he received a message from Jin.

-My training is complete. I'll be in the front line starting tomorrow. Wait for me till then.- The message said.

Kirito smirked, knowing his friend from the beginning is coming back.

######

Jin was sleeping within the main house of the Moonlit Black Cats. Sachi noticed his somnolent state and gently gave him a kiss to his right cheek.

"I am sure we will make it, Jin-kun… Please, clear the game for everyone to survive." Sachi said in a whisper.

Jin woke up when he heard the whisper. No one was around him. This caused a soft smile to come to his face as a lone tear was shed. He briefly watched the starry sky from a nearby window and went back to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5: Promise with the blacksmith.

I do not own anything from Rurouni Kenshin or SAO.

Jin was with Kirito and Asuna. They recently went to Floor 48 in a town called Lindus. Their weapons were starting to lose their durability.

"We should pay a visit to a friend of mine. She's a blacksmith and knows how to fix or make weapons." Asuna suggested.

Jin had a look at his blade, noticing nothing wrong with it. He decided to go with them, since his curiosity of a blacksmith caught his attention.

"Alright, I'm in. Lead the way, Asuna." Jin replied.

Kirito was also curious for a different reason. He had his own intention to see the blacksmith.

######

Asuna, Kirito and Jin went to what appeared to be a small house. A small canal was being provided with water from a local river nearby. A giant waterwheel was shown.

"Perfect place to find a blacksmith." Jin commented.

"How so?" Asuna asked.

"Blacksmiths need this waterwheel for refinement purposes. A true blacksmith needs to refine any ore to remove any impurities before crafting a weapon in a furnace. However, for the refinement to be complete, water is needed to cool off the metal before it has become the weapon of choice. That's why the waterwheel is there." Jin explained.

"Oh…? You're quite astute there, Jin." Kirito said.

"There are few places in Japan where the practice of blacksmithing still exists to this day and age. However, the swords created are for decorative reasons." Jin said.

"Whoa… So you have been to those blacksmith sites?" Kirito asked.

"I did, but I rather not reveal where they are. They prefer making swords in peace instead of outside influence." Jin said.

"Well said then… Anyway, let's go meet the blacksmith here so we can fix our weapons. I'm sure your weapon need some repair work." Asuna said.

"I'm good. My sword's dura is still okay." Jin said.

"Okay, I'll head first." Asuna said.

######

Inside the house, there was a young girl working in the blacksmith shop. She had fluffy pink hair with a white hairpin to keep her bangs out of her eyes. Her eyes are dark pink. Her blacksmith uniform looks more like the uniform of a waitress: a dark red top with puffed sleeves and a flared skirt of the same color as well as a pure white apron over that and a red ribbon atop her chest.

"Asuna, it has been a while!" The girl said to Asuna.

"It has been, Lisbeth." Asuna replied.

"So, what can I help you with?" Lisbeth asked.

"I just need to request some repairs for my sword." Asuna said.

Lisbeth acknowledged her request and began repairing Asuna's sword. It took only a few seconds till the swords durability was good as new.

"I'm surprised that you're not on the frontlines today." Lisbeth commented, handing the repaired sword to Asuna.

"I decided to take a day off. I have a couple of friends whom I'm with. Both are curious to see and may have a request for you to make." Asuna replied.

"Okay… You can let them in." Lisbeth said.

Asuna left and in a few seconds, Jin and Kirito went inside the house. Lisbeth recognized Jin as the Blaze Swordsman, but didn't recognize Kirito as a Beater.

"No way… The Fiery Battosai…" Lisbeth said in shock.

"Calm your fears… I don't attack anyone indiscriminately." Jin said.

"But you have slaughtered an entire guild…" Lisbeth said with fear.

"An orange guild called Titan's Hand… They were a PK guild so I cleaned them out." Jin corrected.

Lisbeth realized he didn't show any form of hostility and remained calm. However, her guard was not lowered, keeping a sharp eye on Jin.

"So… What are you two requesting me?" Lisbeth asked.

Kirito decided to step up.

"Well, I was wondering if you can craft a sword." Kirito requested.

"How strong?" Lisbeth questioned.

"How about Jin's sword?" Kirito suggested.

"Hey!" Jin refuted.

Lisbeth demanded to inspect Jin's sword and was surprised to see one of the legendary weapons on his hand.

"The Amaterasu… You certainly have been pushing yourself… I heard of your exploits in Floor 63, but seeing you with the Coat of the Fire Dragon and the Amaterasu is proof enough for me." Lisbeth commented.

"The sword belonged to my late master, whom taught me everything in Aincrad." Jin said with a somber tone.

Lisbeth made a quiet gasp, seeing him look solemn, albeit hidden from view.

"In any case, the prices for metals have been increasing since resources are starting to become scarce." Lisbeth said.

"We don't need to worry about finance. Are you able to craft a sword or have one that's equal to Amaterasu?" Kirito asked.

"I recently crafted one earlier so let's try that out." Lisbeth said.

Lisbeth provided a thin looking sword, almost appearing like a rapier. Kirito made a couple of practice swings, noting how light it was.

"You used a speed attribute metal for this sword?" Jin asked.

"Y-yes… How did you know?" Lisbeth asked in surprise.

"Easy to notice the weight and speed of the sword. However, its stats are greatly inferior to that of Amaterasu. I fear that one good blow in a duel will cause it to shatter." Jin said.

"Are you saying this sword will not be able to nick your katana?" Lisbeth questioned.

"I'm not just saying… It will happen." Jin confirmed.

"Let's give a test then." Kirito said.

"Are you nuts!? You'll shatter your friend's sword!" Lisbeth said in disbelief.

Kirito raised the sword up and was about to strike Amaterasu with the light weight sword. Before doing so, Jin quickly stopped Kirito from doing so. This surprised everyone of his speed.

"What are you doing, Jin?" Kirito asked.

"Look at the weapon's stats before doing that… You nearly costed the blacksmith a sword for good." Jin lectured with a sigh.

Kirito did so and looked at the weapon's stats. Much to his surprise, he could see that the weapon would have a no chance of enduring a single blow from Amaterasu.

"Jin's right… The sword will shatter." Kirito said, providing the sword back to Lisbeth.

"You have a critical eye to notice the quality of swords… Thanks for making sure it didn't shatter." Lisbeth said with appreciation.

"Is there a metal ore that you need that can potentially craft a sword needed to match mine?" Jin asked.

"Yes, but it is located at Floor 55. A dragon lives in the West Mountain, reported that it eats the crystals out there." Lisbeth explained.

"Great… As if the Fire Dragon from Floor 63 was not enough for me…" Jin mumbled in complaint.

"You managed to survive battling the Fire Dragon… So why are you complaining?" Lisbeth asked.

"I survived that battle on a whim. If I didn't had any stroke of luck, then I wouldn't be here in the first place." Jin said.

"In any case, you'll need me to fine the ore. I'm not called an expert blacksmith for nothing." Lisbeth said with pride.

"Don't let your own pride be your own downfall… Many players who state they're the best often had karma strike back at them in the most painful way possible." Jin lectured.

"Speak for yourself, Battosai…" Lisbeth said.

"Please stop giving me that title… I didn't become a battosai based on people's rumors. I trained myself to fight with the skills that people have seen. Plus, I detest doing what I've done." Jin said.

"So why are you killing other players?" Lisbeth questioned Jin's philosophy.

"I only kill orange players and red guilds. Titan's Hand was just a message to those who take pleasure in killing others." Jin said.

"So you're a PK hunter… I can see that your cursor is green though." Lisbeth commented.

"Enough about me… We should get going to finding the ore needed to craft a new sword for Kirito." Jin said.

"I'll let this slide, but don't try to dodge my questions." Lisbeth said, puffing her face.

'What an obstreperous girl…' Jin thought.

"In any case, I should request your actual name since you don't want to be known as 'battosai' all the time." Lisbeth said.

Jin clicked his tongue when he heard the title. Lisbeth heard the action and made a deadpan expression.

"My name is Jin." Jin said calmly, but sounded forced.

"I'm Lisbeth." Lisbeth followed.

######

Jin and Lisbeth were in Floor 55. The path to the peak of West Mountain was cold. Ice and snow surrounded their site as they made their way to the top. Lisbeth's clothing was not providing adequate warmth for her.

"Achoo! It's freezing here…" She said in a sneeze.

Jin sighed in response, knowing she'll complain and get a status effect from the freezing weather. He opened his inventory and provided the Coat of the Fire Dragon to her.

"This coat will keep you warm. Its effect will last for a long time, even if we finish getting the material needed." Jin said.

"What about you?" Lisbeth asked.

"I have hyperthermia so I'll be fine. In case if it wears off, I have a different coat to use." Jin said.

Lisbeth took note of Jin, constantly emitting pockets of steam. Upon being close to him, she could feel the air getting warmer. It's as though he was acting like a radiator. She then felt the coat's warmth.

'It's so warm… I always thought the Fiery Battosai would be cold-blooded, but he's different. He only had the misfortune to be called such a title due to his actions on an orange guild. Maybe he was trying to protect everyone, despite what he does.' Lisbeth thought.

Jin noticed that Lisbeth was moving and looked back.

"Everything alright? We're almost at the top." Jin said.

"I'm coming." Lisbeth said, catching up to Jin.

######

Near the peak, snow started to fall. The wind was blowing harshly, providing Jin and Lisbeth a quiet, scenic view of the icy wilderness. They noticed several crystals nearby.

"We're almost there. The peak is just a short walk from here." Jin said.

Lisbeth was amazed to see the crystals. They were a navy blue, appearing similar in shape of a quartz crystal. Upon looking at the peak, a large field of crystals was shown.

"How beautiful…!" She said in amazement.

"Hold on a minute, Lisbeth…" Jin said.

"What is it?" She asked abruptly.

"Be sure to prepare your warp crystal… I don't want you to lose your life when I'm fighting the field boss out here." Jin said.

"All right then…" Lisbeth complained.

"Just stay hidden in view. Use the crystals to hide so the dragon will focus its attention on me. Don't come out of the crystals, no matter what." Jin said.

"I'm no amateur in fighting. I can help-"

Lisbeth's mouth suddenly stopped when Jin placed his index finger on her lips. This made her pause.

"Don't suddenly think you can take the field boss on…" Jin said, showing a hollow stare.

Lisbeth was surprised on what she saw. His eyes showed experience to what happens to people who are cocky in battle. Reluctant, she wisely kept herself quiet.

"Trust me on what I'm about to do." Jin said, gently poking her forehead with his index and middle fingers.

Lisbeth felt the heat from his touch. She made a small blush, feeling reassured. By then, a loud roar echoed on the mountain peak. Jin and Lisbeth looked to where the sound came from.

"Start hiding, quick!" Jin said.

Lisbeth quickly hid herself in the field of crystals. Jin took notice of the field boss and was surprised to see what it was. It was a pale gray draconic creature with several protrusions made out of crystals on most of its body. An icy aura was being exuded from the beast.

"That's not a dragon… That's an ice wyvern!" Jin said in surprise.

The wyvern began to charge its attack. Lisbeth quickly deduced what it was about to do.

"Watch out! It's using its ice breath!" She said.

Jin shifted his sword stance into Iaido and held his concentration. He scraped his sword on the scabbard, creating a miniature cyclone.

" **Hiken: Kagutsuchi!"**

Fire and ice clashed into a stalemate, causing steam to obscure everyone's sight. Jin kept his focus on the wyvern. Lisbeth watched in fascination of the battle.

'He's amazing… He countered ice with fire and fought it in a stalemate… That sword style… What did he trained himself to earn such skills?' She thought in awe.

Jin quickly leaped up to the air, facing the dragon in the air. It was attempting to swipe him with its claws, but Jin quickly responded.

" **Hiken: Shukuchi San!"**

Jin performed three quick steps, maiming the wyvern. This made the beast roar violently in the clash.

"Watch out!" Lisbeth called out.

Jin noticed the wyvern intending to ram on him. He then decided to use another skill.

" **Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"**

The kanji created was written as wyvern (ワイバーン). During the sequence, Jin managed to hack off one of its arms.

"What are you waiting for? Let's get this dealt with!" Lisbeth called, going out of her hiding spot.

"YOU FOOL! THE WYVERN WILL NOTICE YOU!" Jin shouted.

The beast noticed Lisbeth's presence, seeing her as a potential danger.

"What are you saying? The battle is over-"

Lisbeth didn't had a chance to finish her sentence. The wyvern created a powerful gust, sending Lisbeth flying.

"Lisbeth!" Jin said, using Shukuchi to keep up with her.

Lisbeth was heading to a large, open pit. She then panicked as she was falling in the middle of it. Jin quickly grabbed hold of her and was able to maneuver himself with Lisbeth to a nearby wall. He stabbed his sword on the wall to try and slow their descent. However, it was proven fruitless as the pair continued falling.

"Hang on!" Jin shouted.

######

The fall was long, almost like an abyss. Both awaited for the ground, till they saw a field of snow at the bottom.

'This is gonna hurt…' Jin thought with a sweat drop.

They crashed on to the snowy ground. Jin took the full brunt of the fall, shielding Lisbeth. Both were unconscious for a few minutes.

"Grhh… That is one fall I'll NEVER attempt on skydiving…" Jin commented.

Lisbeth heard Jin and noticed his HP was down to 2/5 left.

"I'll agree with you on that." Lisbeth agreed.

"We managed to survive the fall, but now we don't know how we can get out of here. For now, let's recover from the damage." Jin said, providing Lisbeth a healing potion.

Both drank their potions, restoring their HP. Jin had a brief, disgusted look on his face after drinking the potion.

"Bitter… But at least it healed us." Jin said.

Lisbeth giggled seeing Jin with a comical look.

"Thanks for protecting me." She said.

"Too early for gratitude… We need to find a way to get out of here. The warp crystals won't work unfortunately. That must mean there's a method of escape." Jin said.

"How sure are you about this? Wouldn't this be a trap?" Lisbeth asked.

"Not quite. If this was a trap, the depth would be much shorter than this. I don't think this is a trap at all. Otherwise, we would be dead by now from other hidden parts. I don't sense anything like that here." Jin said.

"Well, that's reassuring. Now how do you plan on getting us out?" Lisbeth questioned.

Jin looked carefully at the walls, trying to create a plan.

"I'll need to do a running start…" Jin said.

Lisbeth made a deadpan expression upon hearing Jin's response.

"Are you crazy…?" She asked comically.

"This is only to determine if there's a way out." Jin said.

Jin quickly dashed forward, running on the wall with amazing speed. Lisbeth, watching the action, was surprised on what he was doing.

"No way…" She said in disbelief.

However, Jin made a step too long and slipped.

"Oh no… WHOAAAAAAA!" Jin yelled.

He plunged back first into the snow, leaving a crater in his shape.

"Ouch… Well, that determines how far I can go, but that is enough. Wish I could run a little longer though." Jin said, climbing out of the crater he made.

"It's impossible to do that. But what do you mean that it was enough?" Lisbeth asked.

"We'll find out in the morning." Jin said.

######

Jin had a lantern to use for Lisbeth and himself to stay warm for the night. He had two sleeping bags with him, providing one to Lisbeth.

"This feels unreal… Sleeping with a random stranger at a place I haven't been to." Lisbeth said in wonder.

"There are experiences in life that often make adventures wondrous. Today's event was no exception." Jin said.

"You even ran up the wall… No normal man would do that." Lisbeth commented.

Jin snorted in response. This made Lisbeth giggle in response.

"You'll find out why I ran up the wall in the first place." Jin remarked.

The pair remained silent, watching the cold, starry sky. Lisbeth decided to ask Jin some questions.

"Ne Jin… Mind if I ask you a question?" Lisbeth asked.

"Feel free." Jin responded.

"Why did you save my life?" Lisbeth asked.

Jin hesitated for a moment. Lisbeth waited with slight anxiety, wanting to hear his response.

"Letting someone die alone is one of the worst outcomes anyone would want to experience. I'd rather die with someone than be alone. I'm sure you understand that." Jin said.

"No one would think like that… There's probably something wrong with you." Lisbeth said with a smile.

Jin remained quiet, showing an impassive expression.

"Hold my hand, Jin…" Lisbeth requested.

He had a surprised expression. Jin didn't expect a request like that from her. Lisbeth continued to stare at Jin's eyes, noting his natural color. He then moved his hand to Lisbeth's warming her.

"Your hand is so warm… Despite this, we're both data in a virtual world. Yet…" Lisbeth said.

Jin knew what she was about to say. He remained quiet for a few minutes before falling asleep.

######

The next day, Lisbeth woke up to see Jin digging in the snow. She briefly recalled holding his hand before sorting her thoughts out.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I think I found the ore you need." Jin said, showing a light blue ingot.

Lisbeth opened the menu screen to see the name of the item. It was labeled 'Crystalline Ingot'.

"So this is the material we need?" Jin asked.

"Yes, this is the one I need to craft a new weapon for Kirito. How is this ingot here?" Lisbeth asked.

"The wyvern that lives here eats the crystals and digests them over time. This whole area is essentially its nest." Jin said.

"That would explain why no one would find the ore so easily… But what do you mean by your explanation?" Lisbeth questioned.

"This ingot happens to be the crystals digested in the beast's stomach. It's essentially excrement." Jin said with mild discomfort.

Lisbeth noticed his expression as he held the ingot. She then laughed out loud.

'Thank goodness I'm not holding that…' Lisbeth thought, laughing.

"We got what we came for. Now for the way out… The wyvern, like any dragon, seems to be a nocturnal monster, feeding on the crystals at night. Since it is morning, it'll come here any minute." Jin said.

"You're right about that… Is this what you're planning?" Lisbeth asked, slowly realizing something.

"Looks like you figured it out." Jin said with a smirk.

He crouched down on the ground.

"Get on my back! We're going for a peel out!" Jin said.

"Peel out!? Are you craZZYYY!?" Lisbeth yelled as Jin dashed to the wall.

She was amazed to see how fast he was going. Eventually, he made it high enough to reach the wyvern's back. Jin back flipped in the air, landing on the wyvern. He stabbed Amaterasu to get a hold on it.

"Hang on!" Jin called out.

The wyvern roared and flew out of its nest. The velocity of the flight caused Jin's sword to loosen itself, causing Jin and Lisbeth to skydive away from the nest.

"This is insane!" Jin yelled out.

Lisbeth noticed the sun in the horizon. She couldn't believe the view she saw.

"Wow…! That's a nice view!" She said.

Jin outstretched his hand to catch Lisbeth in the air. She held on to him as they both fell from the sky.

"Jin! You know what!?" Lisbeth asked.

"What!?" Jin asked.

"You're an amazing person!" Lisbeth shouted.

"I can't hear you!" Jin said, his hearing muffled from the wind.

"It's okay!" Lisbeth said, hugging Jin close.

######

Back in Floor 48, Lindus, Lisbeth was preparing the ingot. She managed to refine it and prepared to hammer the ingot.

"A one handed sword for Kirito, huh?" Lisbeth asked.

"Yeah. Kirito said he needed one for his purpose. I don't know why, but I got a hunch it is something he plans to do later on." Jin said.

Lisbeth began hammering the ingot. She was concentrating very carefully to crafting the sword.

'Jin's warmth from his hand… My feelings… They were all real.' She thought.

'Once I crafted this sword, I'll tell him my own feelings.' She thought, finishing her crafting.

The ingot changed into a sword shaped object. It was glowing a bright, pink color. The shape then formed an aqua colored sword. The grip is a darker color than the rest of the blade and is completely straight. It leads up to a crossguard that is exactly perpendicular to the grip and is designed to look like a pair of conjoined dagger blades. At the center of the guard is a large aquamarine gem. The blade itself is a deep aqua color, the base of the blade has a light-aqua attachment that causes the blade to have a natural indentation when one traces its length due to the angle that the attachment bends at. Lisbeth inspected the sword she created.

"The Dark Repulser. This is a first for me to see such a sword like this so there's no info on what it is." Lisbeth said.

Jin noted the sword's excellent craftsmanship. Kirito came into the shop and noticed the sword already forged.

"Your sword's ready, Kirito." Jin said, giving the weapon to him.

Kirito made a couple of practice swings.

"How is it?" Lisbeth asked.

"It's a well-crafted sword. It feels as though it was made through someone's emotions and passion." Kirito said.

Lisbeth smiled in response. She looked at Jin with her heart racing.

"How much is the request?" Kirito asked.

"Oh, it's free. Consider it on the house thanks to your friend. Mind if I talk with Jin for a minute?" Lisbeth asked to Kirito.

"Sure, I'll wait outside." Kirito said.

Lisbeth moved to Jin, making him nervous.

"Jin… I wanted to say this to you… I wanted to become your private blacksmith and…"

Lisbeth's speech was stopped by Jin placing an index finger on her lips. This made her look at him with slight surprise.

"I know you wanted to confess your feelings to me… However, you need to know that I'm doing two suicide quests. Both have a risk of getting you killed if you get involved." Jin said.

"W-what quests are talking about?" Lisbeth asked.

"The end of all PK guilds and clearing this game… I've seen a lot of things in a game… However, I'll never forget the sight of the people losing their lives here as they had their last moments. I understand your feelings, but I'm not ready for a relation." Jin said.

Lisbeth felt heartbroken… She was about to yell at him, but noticed his far out expression. Seeing his face like that, she couldn't help but stay near him.

"What will you do once you finish the game…?" Lisbeth asked.

"I'll be back to my normal, everyday life. Going back to school, finding my purpose in life… Although I doubt I'll be the same person." Jin said.

Lisbeth could feel the regret in his words. She boldly went to him and hugged him close.

"No one should go through so much pain… I understand why you were called the Blaze Swordsman for a reason. But why would you kill off your own heart for the sake of others?" Lisbeth asked.

"I'm not a god or anything in that belief… Don't mistake the meaning as being atheistic. I'm a Christian… The point is, I'm trying to help alleviate the concerns for the players so they can clear this game and set everyone free. If it costs me my life, then I will fight to the death till I can no longer stand." Jin said.

Lisbeth held Jin tight, refusing to let go. This made him sigh.

"Knowing this, are you willing to risk your friends for being close to me?" Jin asked.

"No. I don't want to lose my friends, but I don't want to lose you." Lisbeth said.

Jin merely sighed in response.

"How about a promise?" Jin suggested.

"A promise?" Lisbeth questioned.

"A promise where we will meet in the real world once this game is cleared. I may reconsider being in a relation by then." Jin said.

Lisbeth smiled in response. She moved up close and kissed his cheek. Jin blushed, causing his sword to emit red-pink flames. By then, Asuna came in.

"Lisbeth! Thank goodness you're okay!" She said.

"I'm alright, Asuna. Jin protected me when I went out collecting materials for sword smithing." Lisbeth said.

"Did he do something to you? You're smiling." Asuna said.

"He made a promise that he will fulfill for me. I'll be waiting for him till then." Lisbeth said.

Before Asuna could ask Jin, the girls noticed he swiftly left the place. There was a note left behind on the desk.

-To Lisbeth,

-I know we didn't had much of a chance to get along, but you were able to unchain a part of my own soul. I'm grateful for that, Lisbeth. Please, continue making the best swords for everyone. I'm not really good with love or relationships since I don't know much about them. All I do know is that I have to fight to push forward. Only then, we will meet in the real world.-

-From Jin-

Lisbeth started to shed a few tears. Asuna read the note. She understood why her friend was crying.

'Jin… I hope you know what you're doing.' She thought.

######

Outside, Jin and Kirito were resting near a tree in the town. They were discussing what they plan to do.

"Are you sure about this, Jin? You know it's a very hard road for you once go through this route." Kirito asked with concern.

"I'm sure. If I were to face Kayaba himself at the end, I would most likely die. However, he will also die as well. I know for a fact that I may not survive the battle, but I'm willing to give it my all." Jin said.

'He's willing to sacrifice his life for everyone… Jin knows that he will die if this continues, yet it doesn't faze him.' Kirito thought.

Asuna eventually arrived, noticing Jin with Kirito. Before she could demand an explanation from him, she saw his serious expression.

"I know what I have to do, Asuna. Don't make me repeat myself." Jin said.

Asuna remained silent as Jin walked to the teleport gate.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6: The Tortured Soul.

I do not own anything from Rurouni Kenshin or SAO.

The day was August 2, 2024. Jin was with Kirito and Asuna. The trio were all in a meeting point in a small cave. Jin was wearing a black robe to disguise himself.

"Everyone, we're here for discussing a serious threat… A red guild known as Laughing Coffin has been committing murders all across Aincrad. They have become unreasonable to the point they relish in murdering others." A familiar voice called.

'Agil… It's been a while, tough guy.' Jin thought with a smirk.

"Didn't some of the Clearers sent any messages to them?" One of the players asked.

"They were assassinated a few days later. They can no longer be reasoned with so we must destroy them once and for all." Agil said.

Jin had a dark expression on his face. His eyes turned red in response, causing the heat around him to emanate. The other players eventually took notice of the rising heat in the air.

'It couldn't be, could it?' One axe wielder thought.

'With all this heat… That means…' A mace player said.

Jin swiftly took the robe off, revealing his appearance for all to say. All the players, except a select few, were in a state of fright.

"Everyone! SHUT UP!" Jin yelled.

The players kept quiet but were frightened of the powerful commanding tone.

"I'm not a player killer. I hunt those who committed the killing of an innocent. If you want to know how to track down red or orange guilds like Laughing Coffin or the former Titan's Hand, I can tell you where." Jin said.

"How were you able to get the data needed to find those monsters?" A female sword user asked.

"Let's just say that I have contacts that are information brokers. One of my clients provided me the coordinates for Laughing Coffin's hiding place." Jin said.

Most of the players were surprised, but one of them, wearing a robe, acted suspicious. Jin immediately noticed the behavior and dashed to the player before he had a chance of running. He grabbed the player's head and used the pommel of his katana to knock him out. Everyone gathered to where Jin was.

"What are you doing, Jin!? You just harmed a green player!" Asuna said.

"Not any green player…" Jin said.

He then moved the sleeve of the robe and showed a tattoo. It was pitch black with a masquerade face making a smile. A bony left arm was shown encircling the face. The tattoo was shown in a coffin shape.

"A spy from Laughing Coffin… This tattoo proves everything right now. However, I'm afraid that it's too late. He already sent the info to the base so they'll be prepared for us." Jin said.

"So… Where is the base of Laughing Coffin you speak of?" A man asked.

Jin took note of the man who came to him. He was muscular, tall, and physically strong, with sharp scholarly features and steel-gray hair that had a strand hanging over his forehead. He was wearing a crimson armor that had a white cape. He was wielding a shield and a sword. The shield was like a round cross shield with a red crucifix symbol.

"It's located in Floor 57, at the base of a mountain. It's a small cavern, but it's a perfect spot for an ambush. Keep your detection skill active so you can locate them." Jin said.

"Very well… In two days, we'll be heading to Floor 57. We need to clean them out for they have become our threat. WILL WE ALLOW THEM TO TAKE OUR LIVES!?" The man shouted.

The players roared with vigor. They all wanted to fight and destroy Laughing Coffin. Jin was more than willing to join the fight.

"Mind if I know your name, young man?" The man asked.

"It's Jin. And you?" Jin asked.

"I'm Heathcliff, the leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath." Heathcliff said.

"Oh, I heard about you guys. After the Aincrad Liberation Force, you guys are the Number 1 Clearers as of today." Jin said.

"I see that our efforts has not gone unnoticed. In any case, I applaud you for sharing us the information needed to find Laughing Coffin's hiding place. I hope to see you in the fight as the Blaze Swordsman once we begin cleaning them out." Heathcliff said.

"Looking forward to it. Make sure to notify every Clearer here in the meeting so we can get the battle ready." Jin said.

Heathcliff nodded, but he briefly glanced at Jin before talking to the other players. Kirito and Asuna went to Jin, now looking impressed.

"You have your ways to prove that you're no cold blooded murderer. It was rather surprising to see a direct approach, especially when you caught that spy." Kirito said.

"It had a win-win benefit. One is to prep the players for an ambush since Laughing Coffin is resourceful enough to evade most players. I had a hard time tracking that spy till he made his move. Two, it clears my name, but I doubt they'll look at me with a different eye." Jin said.

######

At the town in Floor 57, Jin was seen drinking at a pub. Agil was with him in the pub.

"Jin, you may be 16 years old, but you shouldn't drink…" Agil lectured.

Jin snorted from Agil's advice. He chugged his drink down in response.

"That was my second cup. I can hold up to three at most. At least it helps me think of something else." Jin said.

Agil was surprised when Jin was acting like a soldier who lost his purpose in life.

"Hey I've been meaning to ask, Jin. Why do your eyes turn red at times here in Aincrad?" Agil asked.

"I guess there's one more thing you need to know about me, but I won't share it multiple times. Let's wait till Kirito shows up." Jin said.

"Good point." Agil agreed.

The two guys were drinking glasses of water, unable to hold off their alcohol. Kirito and Asuna eventually arrived and noticed them.

"There you guys are… We've been looking for you two." Kirito said.

"If you can find a pub in town, I'm most likely hanging out in one." Jin retorted.

"Okay man. Tell me why your eyes turn red at times." Agil persisted.

"You're that curious I'll commend you for that. In any case, the reason my eyes turn red is not due to side effect caused by my training. It's a physiological condition." Jin said.

"What kind of condition?" Asuna asked, interested.

"Haemolacria. Basically, my eyes shed tears of blood." Jin revealed.

Kirito, Asuna and Agil were all surprised and realized why his eyes turn red at times. He was staining them with his own blood.

"Don't think this condition is cool. It's not like I can just cosplay a familiar character from an anime and say 'Amaterasu!' all the time with a bleeding eye. It's a pain cleaning the mess, not to mention the risk of anemia. At least it signifies that I'm going in for the kill." Jin said.

The group briefly chuckled from the comparison. Jin finished his drink of water and left to a hotel to sleep at.

######

The next two days have past. The raid against Laughing Coffin began. Jin had an impassive gaze, waiting for the proper time to unleash his bloodlust. Kirito and Asuna were unnerved of his expression.

"He looks ready to strike at any possible moment…" Asuna whispered.

"I noticed… If a member from Laughing Coffin came out, he'll probably deal with it in a flash." Kirito whispered back, making Asuna giggle.

Jin heard the whispering clearly, but ignored the comments. He focused his sense in the surrounding raid. By then, Heathcliff began to explain the plan.

"This is it, everyone! Neutralize them in any possible. If they're not willing to come peacefully, then you can kill them." Heathcliff said.

"No quarter!" Agil shouted.

The raiders went in the cave, ready to fight off the guild. Upon entering, a swift player suddenly descended and attempted to stab Jin, only to be intercepted by a parry from the scabbard.

"You're dead…" Jin said in a cold tone.

He killed the player in a single blow, using basic battojutsu. Everyone was surprised on what happened till they noticed Jin's eyes glowing red.

'He's ready to fight… Here they come!' Kirito thought.

The whole guild of Laughing Coffin began to fight off the raiders. Everyone began to fight them off, killing each other.

"They're all over us…!" Agil said.

"I'll take care of thinning their numbers… Just take em out through guerilla tactics." Jin said.

He then readied himself to use one of his skills. Kirito and Asuna thought they knew which one he was intending to use.

" **Hiken: Shinku Renge!"**

They were shocked that he was using a low-level skill. However, Jin made each successive attack hit on a critical point on each of the Laughing Coffin members. All showed horrific expressions to him before flames engulfed them, causing them to shatter in polygons.

"This is what the Fiery Battosai can do…? How scary…" A male spear wielder said.

"Thank goodness he's on our side. He did say that he only hunts orange and red guilds." A female axe wielder said.

Five Laughing Coffin members attempt to take down Jin by surrounding him. This made the battojutsu user smirk sadistically.

"Oh no… Everyone! Move away from Jin, NOW!" Kirito called out.

The raiders moved away, leaving the members of Laughing Coffin confused. They then heard Jin utter two words.

" **Hiken: Funka!"**

An eruption of flames surrounded Jin, incinerating the five members. The guild now realized they were now being defeated by one player capable of using powerful skills.

"PoH, we can't hold the Clearers off. The Fiery Battosai is here, killing us all." A member said.

PoH had ample, black wavy hair and a tattoo on the right side of his face. He was wearing a dark poncho that concealed much of his appearance.

"I'll go deal with this, Johnny Black. I wonder how my Mate Chopper will fare against him." PoH said.

Johnny Black was wearing a dark colored hooded cloak and a mask. His hands are armored, and he also appears to be very thin.

"Alright, PoH. Do what you like." Johnny said.

PoH walked to the battle and dashed towards Jin, slicing the raiders down near him. Jin noticed the weapon PoH had.

'The Mate Chopper… It's said to pierce through the defenses of its enemies with one single cut. That weapon surpasses Elucidator, the same sword Kirito has. If he wants a fight against my sword, so be it.' Jin thought.

The two players locked eyes with fierce determination. Everyone stopped to see the leader of Laughing Coffin facing Jin. All were now awaiting a potentially dangerous battle. The members of Laughing Coffin and the raiders all moved away to continue their fight, leaving the strongest warriors to fight each other.

"The Blaze Swordsman, aka the Fiery Battosai." PoH said.

"The Prince of Hell... Fitting name considering you'll be sent back to your domain." Jin replied.

"You and your deductions… Someone like you is a threat not to be taken lightly. For that, I'll fight with you, Battosai." PoH said.

PoH and Jin continued to stare each other before both dashed in extreme speed. A loud clash was heard as their respective swords began to fight for dominance against one another. The force of the clash created a heat wave, a result from Jin's abilities.

"Why did you create such a bloodthirsty guild in the first place? What purpose will it do for you to kill others for your sick pleasure?" Jin asked, pushing PoH back.

"This is all but a death game created by Kayaba. If we kill, we will make him take the blame for what we have done." PoH responded.

"You and your guild killed hundreds of players so you can cause the media to express hate on him!? Unfortunately, it'll backfire on you!" Jin said, attempting to slice PoH with Homura Dama.

PoH had to move out of the way, lest he got burnt. Seeing the rage unleashed from Jin made him have second thoughts in the battle, but persisted.

"I'm not letting some kid lecture me on what I should do. You will die for all I care." PoH said.

PoH then dashed at Jin and managed to slice one of his fingers from his left hand. This made Jin move back in response. His HP decreased by 2/5.

'That dagger is like a Chinese kitchen knife, almost similar to a cleaver. I have to shatter it so no one will acquire it. But first, I need to deal with this guy… I don't want to use my advanced skills yet, but I have no choice.' Jin thought.

PoH took notice of Jin debating mentally and decided to take advantage of his brief distraction. Jin then looked at PoH and unleashed a devastating attack.

" **Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"**

Jin began to make swift, powerful attacks with fire. PoH stood little chance and took the full brunt of the technique. The kanji that was written from the skill was hell (地獄). PoH was sent flying back, losing a quarter of his HP.

"That skill seems to be your specialty… Whatever word comes to your mind, you execute it immediately… I won't fall for that one again." PoH said.

"Bring it." Jin taunted.

PoH dashed at Jin, intending to go for the kill. This made him unleash the next skill.

" **Hiken: Shukuchi Ju!"**

Forcing to break his limits, Jin took massive steps and began executing extreme speed attacks, butchering PoH. Most of the attacks were directed on him while some managed to hit his weapon. His HP dropped to half.

"UGAH! Damn you Battosai!" PoH bellowed.

'Pathetic fool…' Jin thought with sadism.

Jin scraped his sword on the scabbard, producing a mini cyclone.

" **Hiken: Kagutsuchi!"**

PoH attempted to block the attack as Jin made a powerful thrust to stab him. His weapon held on, but it started to show noticeable cracks spreading on the blade. He was fatigued after trying to block off the attack.

"That sword of yours… It's stronger than mine…" PoH said in surprise.

"I'm not done with you yet!" Jin said.

Jin channeled the flames into his sword and raised it up. The flames became concentrated, forming a giant blade.

" **Hiken: HOUKEN!"**

The attack swiftly came to PoH. He attempted to block this one, but the pressure was proven too much. His weapon was shattered, crushing his hopes of killing Jin.

'My Mate Chopper… You destroyed it…' PoH thought in disbelief, unable to comprehend why.

Jin slid his sword back into its scabbard. His eyes turned back to normal, but he held his serious expression. Everyone was shocked to see that Jin defeated the leader in an intense battle.

"This ends your terrorism in SAO, PoH. Everyone in Laughing Coffin… Surrender now, or I'll turn you all to ash in an instant." Jin said in a serious tone.

"Fuck you, Battosai!" A member said.

About twelve members were intending to take down Jin in a desperate attempt. Everyone was about to help him fight them off till Heathcliff decided to make everyone pause. They all watched with concern as they noticed the lone swordsman about to kill the charging members of Laughing Coffin.

"So be it… Burn in hell." Jin said, showing his eyes glowing red.

Jin moved his sword out of the scabbard and scraped the ground. His sword began to unleash a powerful wildfire, acting like a blaze. He then raised his sword up, ready to perform the technique.

" **Hiken: Hi Nami Henka: Gōka Messhitsu!"**

A powerful blast of fire was created from the swing. The twelve members of Laughing Coffin got caught in the explosion. The force torn them apart and burnt the pieces to ash. The skill used shocked everyone upon seeing it.

'This is how strong the Blaze Swordsman is!? He created a giant fire bomb!' A male mace player thought.

'What did he learn to become this strong…? It's as though he has luck all over him.' A male rapier user thought.

Kirito, Agil, and Asuna were equally shocked, seeing the new skill. They didn't expect him to develop a new one.

"Jesus, Jin… What kind of skill was that? That was too overpowered to kill those guys…" Agil asked.

"A variation of one of my skills. It's stronger than the Funka in terms of power. I'll admit, that's the first time I used that skill…" Jin admitted.

"Either way, we cleared off Laughing Coffin." Heathcliff said.

"Not quite… PoH and 8 other members fled before they got caught in the blast. All the other members were killed." Jin said.

"I see. We have fewer PK players so it should be manageable for us to clear the game. We all owe you for this, Jin." Heathcliff said.

"Think nothing about it. I'm just doing two personal quests. One: to rid this game of PK guilds and two: clearing this game." Jin said.

The whole crowd cheered in victory, but Jin was not. He began recalling the horrific expressions from the deaths of the Laughing Coffin members. This made him feel nauseous, forcing him to run outside.

"Jin! Are you alright?" Kirito called out.

######

Outside the former hideout of Laughing Coffin, Jin was vomiting. He felt very sick from the killings he had done. The psychological toll was starting to get to him.

'This…is what I'm forced to deal with every single night. No sign of respite… Just a hellish nightmare that grows and tortures my own soul. Soon, I'll be forced in the same situation as my late master… I won't let this get the better of me…' Jin thought.

Kirito and Asuna managed to catch up to Jin, noting how pale he looked. This got them concerned till they saw his face. It was cold, yet sorrowful.

"Avert your concern from me… I'm no longer considered 'human'…" Jin said.

Asuna and Kirito attempted to reason with him, only for Jin to disappear from their sight, using a warp crystal.

######

Jin was back in Floor 19. He took note of the numerous graves around him. One in particular was cross-shaped. This made him fall to his knees, mentally exhausted from today's raid. The eerie yet somber scenery provided a sense of comfort to him. He couldn't explain why, but the very air felt indescribably welcoming.

'I will end up in a grave one day… I'm starting to lose myself more and more… Will I be able to fulfill my promise? Jin thought.

Unable to find an answer, Jin collapsed, unconscious.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7: Dance of battojutsu. Renewed spirit.

I do not own anything from Rurouni Kenshin and SAO.

Two months have passed since the mass killing of Laughing Coffin. The time was October 17, 2024. Jin was walking on his own in a forest on Floor 74. His mind took some time to sort out what happened, but he hasn't contacted anyone since the dreadful experience. His expression looked more impassive than usual.

'Kayaba must be watching everyone from this point… Wherever he is hiding at, I will find him and end this nightmare… I've been through too much just to keep myself and everyone alive.' He thought.

A noise broke his train of thought. He then looked to the source and noticed a strange, plump creature. It was a plump, white rabbit with ears longer than its body. Jin decided to use his sword and quickly used Homura Dama, killing the creature in one strike.

"A Ragout Rabbit… Never thought I would be lucky to find and slay one." Jin muttered to himself with mild surprise.

Before he could move, he spotted another Ragout Rabbit. This one was startled since Jin noticed a throwing pick being used. He then saw Kirito, who killed the creature with another pick.

"It's been a while, Kirito." Jin said emotionlessly.

"Jin?" Kirito said with surprise.

Kirito walked out and noticed Jin. Only, he noticed how he looked more impassive.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked reluctantly.

"Not the same person anymore… Just a cold shell of what I used to be." Jin said.

Kirito noted how much the game has affected Jin mentally. This caused major concern for his fellow friend.

"Let's head down to Floor 50 so we can meet with Agil. I'm sure he'll be surprised with what I have." Kirito said.

"You mean, what **_we_ ** have." Jin corrected.

Kirito was confused as to why Jin said that to him. Jin sighed and proceeded to explain.

"I also found a Ragout Rabbit and killed it. We both have the meat." Jin said.

'Holy… Dang, Jin. Your luck is just as good as ever.' Kirito comically thought.

######

Kirito and Jin arrived in Floor 50, in a town called Algade. It was moderately big place, but it was not as big as the City of Beginnings. Several alleyways were shown throughout the place.

"So… Where is Agil's shop at?" Jin asked.

"I'll lead the way." Kirito said.

Kirito lead Jin through the town. It was densely populated, almost like the City of Beginnings during the start. Kirito noticed a sign that said 'buy cheap and sell cheap'.

"There it is." Kirito said.

######

Inside, Agil was shocked to not only see Jin alive, but to see both him and Kirito holding a rare item.

"You two are goddamn lucky to find this item… The meat of a Ragout Rabbit is considered an S-Class item. Not many would see this up front." Agil said with surprise.

"I was lucky to find Jin when I took one down." Kirito said.

"Say Kirito. You already have a lot of money so why are you intending to sell it? Aren't you going to eat it?" Agil asked.

"It would be an alternative choice, but I don't have a high enough cooking skill to prepare it." Kirito complained.

"I'm not selling mine though. I was planning to eat it." Jin said.

Agil and Kirito looked at Jin with some surprise.

"Are you telling me that you also trained on cooking?" Kirito asked.

"During my days off, I often practice it so I maxed it about 5 months ago." Jin said.

"Are you kidding me!? You not only trained in battojutsu, but also trained in cooking?" Kirito asked with surprise.

"At least it helped me keep my mentality at check." Jin said, folding his arms.

By then, Asuna arrived. There was someone with her. Jin noticed the bodyguard of Asuna. He was a man who looked to be in his early twenties, but due to the wrinkles on his face, he looked much older. He was wearing a standard white and red KoB uniform with a white and red, metal chest plate, greaves and shoes, as well as white metal bracers, brownish-gray gloves and a white cape. Asuna was surprised to see Jin with Kirito and Agil.

"Jin… Are you feeling alright?" She asked with concern.

"I'm fine. Just changed a great deal." Jin replied.

"What are you guys talking about though? I heard you were talking about cooking." Asuna asked.

Kirito looked at Asuna for some time before he gently grabbed her hands.

"I believe I found my chef." Kirito said.

Asuna was confused on what he meant. However, her bodyguard grunted in response. Jin didn't like the vibe he was giving off.

"What brings you here, Asuna?" Jin asked.

"We'll be on the frontlines soon for the next boss. I only came here to see if you were alive, Kirito. But I'm glad that you also found Jin." Asuna said.

"Your friend list will confirm whether we died or not." Jin lectured.

"Point taken. So, what's the business about finding a chef?" Asuna asked.

"Ah yes. Asuna, what is your current cooking skill?" Kirito asked.

Asuna made a prideful smirk. She then voiced her answer.

"I maxed it last week." Asuna replied.

Jin held a snort in response. Kirito and Agil also held back as well, something Asuna noticed.

"Is there something funny?" Asuna asked.

"Jin managed to master his cooking skill about 5 months ago… He mentioned that during his days off, he often trained on how to cook." Kirito said.

Asuna felt jealous of Jin mastering the skill before her. She comically puffed her cheeks and looked at Jin in response.

"Don't look at me like a pouting child. I'm not the one who's making the request." Jin replied.

"So, why you asked me of my cooking skill for?" Asuna asked to Kirito.

Kirito opened the game menu and presented Asuna with the rare item.

"No way! Ragout Rabbit!?" She exclaimed in surprise.

"Yep. Jin also found his own and plans to cook it. I recommend you cook mine and you can have a bite. Fair deal?" Kirito said.

Asuna quickly clamped on to Kirito with a demanding expression.

"I want half." She said with authority.

"Alright, you can have half." Kirito said.

Asuna cheered in response. Agil just sighed, but knew that Jin would cook his portion somewhere else.

"Sorry Agil. I won't be selling mine." Kirito said.

"If you wanted my portion, you can ask." Jin said to Agil.

"You serious? Awesome! But, I don't have much kitchenware in my house… What about you?" Agil asked.

"Just a drifter… I never settled in one spot." Jin said.

"A drifter!? Dang man. You have been traveling nonstop." Agil said with surprise.

"Yeah… in any case, I think I know a guild whom might have what we need." Jin said.

"Good thing I'm closing shop for tonight. Where is the guild you're about to mention?" Agil asked.

"They're located in Floor 1. We'll meet with them and have a word in regards on how we'll share it." Jin said.

"Fair point. Lead the way then." Agil said.

Jin and Agil went to the teleport gate to reach to their next destination.

######

In Floor 1, Jin and Agil arrived. They walked till they found a decent sized house. A familiar person noticed Jin with someone and called out.

"Jin!" Sachi called out.

He then looked up and saw Sachi waving at him. Jin, in response, calmly waved back. Agil noticed the girl, but didn't know who he was about to meet.

"That girl seems to like you a lot, Jin." Agil commented.

"I only see her as a friend. I hardly have time for romance." Jin replied.

Agil noticed Jin didn't show any reaction to his tease, which got him concerned.

'Poor guy has been through a lot… He almost killed off his heart for the sake of others.' Agil thought.

######

Jin and Agil went inside, meeting the Moonlit Black Cats.

"I see now. You have a couple of friends here, whom can help out." Agil said.

Jin made a silent grunt, acknowledging Agil's explanation.

"In any case, I'm here to make something that I recently acquired." Jin said.

He then showed the item to the guild, much to everyone's shock, save for Agil.

"No way! Ragout Rabbit!" Keita shouted.

Jin covered his ears from the shout in response.

"Settle down with the voices… That's the same reaction I nearly got with Agil here." Jin commented.

"Sorry, but we never thought we would see an S-class item… How will you prepare it, Jin?" Sasamaru asked.

"Hmmm…. I was thinking of making several burger styles, but which style do you want the meat?" Jin asked.

"I think a stew would be much better." Sachi requested.

"I'll go with a stew as well." Keita said.

"Same for me." Agil replied.

"Alright then. Since the verdict is clear from this point, we'll be having stew tonight." Jin said.

Jin switched his clothing with a casual outfit, consisting of a black shirt, blue pants, and black leather shoes. He had an apron on with a hachimaki wrapped around his head.

"Since it'll be stew, I'm lucky enough to have the ingredients in my inventory. This should take a few minutes to prepare." Jin said.

He then looked into his menu and equipped a chicken knife along with providing an assortment of vegetables. Jin made a gentle tap on the meat, causing it to be chopped almost immediately in pieces. The vegetables also got cut in the same way. Everyone watched as he was preparing the meal. He then slid the ingredients in a bronze pot.

"It's not as easy in real life. It would take a lot of preparation just to make this meal. Cooking here in SAO is just a lazy version of it." Jin remarked, making everyone laugh.

He then placed the stew in the oven, causing a menu option to appear for how long it will be heated. He decided 30 minutes to heat the stew up.

"That'll take care of the stew. I'll provide some appetizers and side dishes so everyone can have equal portions of the meal." Jin said.

He brought more veggies out and began chopping them. He was making a side dish called a veggie stir fry. Everyone watched as he was making the side dish with diligence. By then, the oven made a ringing sound.

"Alright… The main course is ready." Jin commented.

Everyone watched with a slight drool, awaiting the lid of the pot to be opened. Jin wasted no time and opened it. Everyone was marveled in seeing the stew in front of their eyes.

"As a fellow chef would say, 'happy to serve'." Jin remarked, pulling his hachimaki off.

Everyone laughed from the pose as they began eating the stew. Upon taking a single bite, they all had shocked expressions.

"What a savory dish!" Sasamaru said.

"This is the result of a master chef cooking!? It's so good!" Sachi said.

"Man I'm lucky to try this out from a master chef! This meal tastes heavenly!" Agil said.

"It's so savory… I would literally melt if a girl cooked this for me." Ducker said, blissed by the taste.

"I'm glad we all had a chance to have something like this… It was worth it." Tetsuo said.

Everyone had their portions of the stew, including Jin. They all had a content expression, savoring the umami flavor.

######

Sometime later, Jin, Agil, and the Moonlit Black Cats all had a content expression, drinking tea.

"I never thought, for being trapped in two years, that I would be this content after eating such a rare food item." Agil said.

"I'll say. Might as well remember it while we still play here." Jin said.

Sachi walked to the nearest seat and sat near him. Her cheeks were turning rosy as she scooted closer to him.

"Jin, will you be going back to the frontlines?" She asked.

"I am." Jin replied.

"You have been pushing yourself a lot… Ever since you came back here from Floor 63, you have been acting reckless lately." Keita said.

"I know what I've been doing, but I have to keep fighting. We've been in SAO for two long years. The longer we stay, the more our bodies in the real world atrophy. We can't afford to stay in this game any longer." Jin said.

Everyone realized that Jin was right. They had forgotten for how long they haven't been in the real world. The revelation made them rethink of the real world. Jin realized what he said.

"Sorry to be blunt like that, but I have to continue fighting. If you guys plan to contribute, let me provide you all with what I gathered." Jin said.

Jin opened his menu screen and provided everyone with high tier weapons and armor. They were all surprised on what he provided.

"Why are you giving us this powerful equipment? You can help someone else with these items." Keita asked in surprise.

"Believe it or not, I've started to grow fond of this guild. The livelihood you guys show, despite the threat in SAO, is enough for me to keep moving forward. I can't ask for anything more than that." Jin said with a faint smile.

Agil and the Moonlit Black Cats were all surprised. They didn't expect him to make such a response. They all noted how honest he sounded, not to mention his gesture.

"I thought you didn't want to join any guilds and remain as a solo player." Sasamaru said.

"I still follow that belief… Point is, I'm a dangerous person since I hunt down PK guilds. If you heard the others mentioning the so-called 'Fiery Battosai', that's me. Kirito knows what I've been doing for the past year." Jin said.

"You have been hunting those red players down to protect everyone else… I heard about the raid of Laughing Coffin. It was you who fought alongside the Clearers and defeated the leader." Tetsuo said.

"Guilty as charged… I've been on search for any PK guilds since that terrible battle. So far, none dared to form, fearing that they may incur my wrath." Jin said with a frown.

The small guild and Agil had a newfound respect for him. They all couldn't help but feel concerned for him.

"You essentially killed your own heart for the sake of others. Yet, you still have lingering thoughts for others. Why go through the pain of ridicule from others when you have your friends to help you?" Agil asked.

"I don't want anyone to share my sins. Everyone has their choices in life, but they shouldn't go through the route I've taken. If you followed along where I'm going through, then I doubt you'll think of me in a positive outlook." Jin explained.

"Even so, your actions were justified because you wanted to protect us." Sachi said.

Jin sighed in response. He felt concerned for Sachi.

"Sachi… Bless your innocent thoughts… I was once a normal player here in SAO, just training myself and growing strong. Upon realizing the threat from both Kayaba and the PK players, I had no choice but to follow a dark route. The path I took has stained me with the blood from murderers. During the battles, I was slowly killing off my own heart, becoming a shell of my former self. One day, I might end up going insane and lose myself to my bloodlust or worse." Jin said.

Agil then realized what he meant and had a concerned expression.

"Jin… You have been suffering from nightmares due to your actions, haven't you?" Agil questioned.

"Yeah… I often try to numb the pain off by going to taverns. My own inner demons are just too much to overcome so I often have to cope with it, despite horrific they are." Jin answered.

"You have PTSD after all… God, kids like you shouldn't have to go through something like this… I can't imagine how much you had to go through since you become like this." Agil sympathized.

"This is what I must do, regardless of the price. I'm no longer afraid of facing any threats that can kill me." Jin said.

Sachi tearfully went up to Jin and hugged him close. He could hear her sobs, making him feel terrible.

"Save your tears, Sachi. You'll be safe here with your friends. The equipment I gave them all will also prolong your safety in case you guys ended up in a high level monster trap." Jin comforted.

He then held Sachi in a short, but warm hug. Everyone watched as they held each other with a tearful embrace.

"Sachi, it's okay. I'll be alive till this nightmare is over… No more crying…" Jin said, wiping Sachi's tears.

Sachi nodded in response. The guild all had sympathizing expressions, none more so than Agil. Jin walked up to Agil.

"We'll be on our way then. It was a pleasant meal we all had." Jin said solemnly.

Jin and Agil left the place. The guild felt their feelings surge, having heard from Jin's inspiring, yet heartbreaking speech. Keita ran to the window and called out to him.

"Come back to us in one piece, Jin! We will wait for you in the real world!" Keita called out.

Jin stopped upon hearing Keita's voice. Although Agil didn't notice, tears were streaming from Jin's face as he smiled.

"I'll be there with you all in the real world! I promise you all!" Jin called out with a tearful smile.

Agil noticed his shoulders shaking. Jin wiped his eyes in response.

"I'll take you back to your place, Agil. It's the least I could do since I invited you here." Jin said.

"Its okay, Jin. You have earned more than my respect. Stay alive, Jin." Agil said before teleporting back to his home.

Jin nodded in response. He then ventured out in the forest and camped out for the night.

######

Jin was out in the forest in Floor 1. He then received a message from Kirito.

-Jin, I recently got partnered up with Asuna. She wanted to invite you in the party. Meet us at Floor 74 in Kamdet. We'll be hunting down the boss on that floor.- The message said.

Jin made a serious look on his face. He was now determined, having his spirit renewed.

'We'll finish this… I won't lose hope from this nightmare.' Jin thought.

######

It was October 18, 2024. Jin woke up early, seeing the sun rising from the horizon. Having no time to waste, he equipped a teleport crystal.

"Teleport: Kamdet!" Jin called out.

The crystal shattered and created a teleport gate for Jin to pass through.

'Now or never… Might as well catch a few Z's while I'm at it.' Jin thought.

He walked in the teleport gate before it faded away.

######

Jin arrived at Kamdet, taking note of the town. It was a small settlement with only 1-storey, small, brown houses with terracotta tile roofs, a wide open central plaza with a stone floor and several minor decorative statues. The settlement was rather small, yet the central plaza is located right next to one of the city gates, which is the most decorative object within the city. There weren't any trees except at the outskirts. The city gates were made nearly entirely out of bricks, with 2 brick towers next to the gate and 3 crosses above the gate. Kamdet was surrounded by several brown hills. He was waiting near the teleport gate before lying down near a statue for a nap.

'Something about this place does feel rather calm to take a nap in from outside… Might as well enjoy it till Kirito and Asuna arrive.' Jin thought.

Kirito arrived via teleport gate two hours later. The sound alerted Jin, making him open his left eye to peek. He immediately fell asleep, knowing the safe zone of the town. Kirito sighed in response, seeing Jin sleeping on the ground.

'He takes the idea of being a drifter too seriously… I'm surprised he decided to sleep out instead of affording a home.' Kirito thought.

Kirito then waited at the teleport gate. He too felt tired, waiting impatiently for Asuna.

"She isn't coming." He muttered tiredly before yawning.

By then, the sound of the teleport gate opening alerted both boys. Jin woke up while Kirito turned and noticed Asuna rushing in.

"Look out!" Asuna yelled.

Asuna fell on to Kirito, sending them both on the ground. Jin woke up from the noise, noticing them in a compromising position. He stifled to speak, not wanting to get in the trouble.

'That was unexpected…' Jin thought.

By then, Asuna screamed again, slapping Kirito in the process. This hurled Kirito like a skipping stone till he hit a nearby statue. A purple polygon shield which read 'Immortal Object', appeared behind him.

'Ouch…' Jin thought with a mild surprise.

Asuna glared at Kirito, covering herself. Jin shook his head in response.

'Don't be daring with a girl that quickly, Kirito.' Jin thought.

Kirito groaned realized what Asuna was doing and was shocked.

"S-sorry about that, Asuna! I didn't expect the sudden entrance!" Kirito defended.

Asuna merely made her frown sharp. Kirito noticed and was frightened till he realized she was staring at the teleport gate. Jin noticed the stare and traced it to the glowing teleport gate, not liking whom was appearing. From it, the same person that was with Asuna was looking around.

'That guy again… Something is wrong when he's around. I don't like this vibe…' Jin thought.

The man noticed Asuna, who was behind Kirito. Jin was truculent, ready for any act of violence. His right hand was near the handle of Amaterasu.

"Asuna-sama, you shouldn't act in such a manner. We must attend the meeting in the guild headquarters." The man said.

"I refuse, Kuradeel! What were you doing outside my home so early in the morning!?" Asuna questioned.

Jin quickly heard the name, now knowing who the person is upon hearing the name. He frowned though upon hearing Asuna's accusations.

"I have thought this might happen… For the past month, part of my mission was to observe you in Selmburg." Kuradeel responded.

"Impossible…! That wasn't in the guild's orders!" Asuna yelled back.

"Asuna-sama… My mission is to protect you. This also includes watching over your home." Kuradeel said.

"No, that doesn't, you idiot!" Asuna replied.

Kuradeel sighed in response before walking to Asuna.

"You should stop acting like a spoiled child. Now, let's return to headquarters." Kuradeel said, grabbing Asuna's hand.

Jin responded by clutching on Kuradeel's outstretched arm. This made the man pull his hand back, feeling the burning temperature from Jin's hand.

"You should listen to her first… She decided to join with us in a party so we'll be protecting her from here on." Jin said, making his eyes turn red.

Kuradeel was intimidated by the sharp glare, showing an angered expression.

"We have no plans of facing a boss. You can head back to your guild headquarters." Kirito said.

"Don't make me a fool! Two low-level players like you don't have the strength needed to protect her!" Kuradeel yelled out.

Jin drew his sword out and used a battosai skill.

 **"Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"**

Using quick movements with his attacks, Jin took care not to harm Kuradeel but made the blade edge close to him as he written the kanji for death (死). Kuradeel paused, seeing the fast, powerful skill right at his eyes.

"I suggest you keep yourself at check. I won't be responsible for turning you to ash if you cross the line." Jin warned.

Kuradeel made a snarling sound at Jin, who kept his sword equipped.

"I'm a member of the glorious Knights of the Blood Oath… How could a battosai like you make me stand down!?" Kuradeel questioned.

"Kirito and I can provide better protection than you can. Don't push it any further, Kuradeel!" Jin said, causing his sword to show flames surging wildly.

"If you two are that confident, then you should know that you two must prove yourselves!" Kuradeel said, opening a menu screen.

Jin and Kirito noticed a notification of a 1-vs-2 duel with Kuradeel.

"You have a suicide wish to face us." Jin said with a sharp glare, accepting the duel.

"Now you've done it…" Kirito said.

He then looked to Asuna, who was still crossed.

"Are you sure about this? Jin will not hold back in this fight." Kirito whispered to Asuna.

"I'm sure. After this, I'll have a word with the leader." Asuna whispered back.

Kirito accepted the duel request. Kuradeel, Jin and Kirito were eyeing each other. All three had a serious look, but Jin's proved he was ready for a fight.

"Jin… You do know that this duel is non-lethal… All it takes is just one strike." Kirito said.

"I know… I'll maim him to prove my point. If he goes out of line, then he's a dead man." Jin said.

A countdown began between them. Kuradeel held his sword out. It was a two-handed sword and was heavily decorated with pyrite yellow sections. Jin read the weapon's info.

'Tyrant Dragon… An expensive but weak sword. An outside system skill like Arms Break would shatter that with little difficulty.' Jin thought.

"Watch carefully, Asuna-sama. I'll prove that I'm better than these two." Kuradeel said.

The players nearby watched with anticipation. They all waited for the duel, but were surprised to see Kirito and Jin.

"Look, the Blaze Swordsman and Kirito, the solo player, are dueling with a member of the Knights of the Blood Oath." A male blunt user said.

"No way… We'll be able to see them in action." A male spear user said.

Within the crowd, a figure wearing a black cloak watched with a bloodthirsty smirk. It was PoH, who was waiting for the duel to start.

'You may have humiliated me, Fiery Battosai… However, I'm afraid that Kuradeel is my sleeper agent.' PoH thought.

Kuradeel clicked his tongue in response. Jin didn't missed that.

'He's not someone to be calm with… I don't like this at all.' Jin thought.

The countdown was at 10 seconds. The three participants assumed their stances, ready to fight. Kirito was assessing where to strike Kuradeel's sword, while Jin was pinpointing where he'll attack. The countdown eventually hit zero.

'Here it comes…' Jin thought.

Kuradeel quickly activated his sword skill, causing his sword to glow yellow. Kirito activated his sword skill in reflex, making his sword glow green. Jin scraped his sword on the scabbard, igniting it with fire. All three dashed forward in rapid speed. Jin noticed his expression upon getting close.

'This guy… He's reveling in this fight like a bloodthirsty killer… If that's how he'll play, then bring it on.' Jin thought.

Kuradeel smirked with murderous intent. Kirito noticed it and aimed his strike to the weapon. Jin followed along with Kirito. All three locked their weapons before spiraling away from each other. Kirito and Jin had their sword in one piece, but Kuradeel's was broken. The blade was cut clean off.

"I-Impossible…" He said as the handle disappeared in blue polygons.

The other players were amazed from the action.

"Amazing… They destroyed the weapon." A male sword user said.

"Was it intentional?" A male axe user asked.

Jin held a small frown on his face. He knew what Kirito did.

'Arms Break…? Geez, Kirito… That guy was intending to kill us and using that method will only make it worse.' Jin thought.

Kirito turned around to Kuradeel, showing a serious expression.

"Feel free to change into a different weapon. However, I won't be the one attacking you." Kirito said, provoking Kuradeel.

Kuradeel wasted no time and equipped a dagger. He charged to Kirito, till a blade of fire nicked him. He noticed Jin, who was unleashing one of his battosai skills.

"Whoa… Is this what the Fiery Battosai can do?" A female sword user asked.

"I don't think that's all he could do…" A male spear user said.

"I suggest you listen carefully to my warning the next time you wanted to fight with a bloodthirsty attitude. Make that mistake again, I could instantly kill you with the same attack I did." Jin said.

Kuradeel stopped, scared of making Jin angry. Seeing the blade of fire burn his cheek made him rethink of what he would say.

"Resign from this duel, Kuradeel. I do not want to cause unnecessary bloodshed unless you give me a reason to." Jin warned.

"No way would I resign! That beater used some trick to destroy my sword! Otherwise, I wouldn't lose to someone like you two!" Kuradeel sneered.

Jin, already at his limit of patience, wreathed his sword in fire.

 **"Hiken: Funka!"**

An eruption of fire was created. Jin stood in the middle, eyes glowing with the fire. Kuradeel was at his mercy. Kirito and Asuna realized he was about to mentally damage him.

"I'm going to give you a simple question, Kuradeel… How long will it take for you to endure this?" Jin asked with an eerily calm tone.

Kuradeel was now scared stiff from the subtle, frightening tone. He backed away from Jin, who was lurching menacingly to him.

"All it takes is five seconds before your body is turned into cinders within my battosai skills. I could essentially hurl you in that particular skill and watch you scream in pain. Since this is a safe zone, you won't die. However, the effect of taking a stab is just as real." Jin explained.

Kirito went up to Jin and blocked his way to Kuradeel.

"That's enough Jin. You already broke him mentally." Kirito said.

"Out of my way, Kirito." Jin said.

"ENOUGH!" Asuna yelled.

Jin snapped back, but he kept his angered stare at Kuradeel, whom was cowering in fright. Asuna walked up to Kuradeel with a frown on her face.

"Kuradeel, as vice commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, I'm ordering you to be relived of your escort mission, starting today. Head back to headquarters and await for further instructions." Asuna said.

Kuradeel walked haphazardly to the warp gate. Jin watched him, expecting anything from him.

"Teleport: Grandzam." Kuradeel said, teleporting to his destination.

Kirito and Asuna both looked at Jin, who had an angered expression.

"You really need to have careful analysis on your allies. That guy has no qualms for causing bloodshed." Jin snarled.

"Calm down, Jin. I'm sure he won't do this again. He knows not to mess with you." Kirito said.

"I won't be calm till I put that bastard in his place." Jin said.

"Jin, listen to yourself… You're becoming bloodthirsty already…" Asuna pleaded.

Jin shook his head before he sighed. He then slugged own his face in result, surprising Kirito and Asuna.

"Sorry, I lost myself in my killing intent. When I become like that, almost nothing could stop me." Jin apologized.

"No, I should be sorry for getting you two involved." Asuna apologized.

"Don't worry about it… Let's just head into the labyrinth." Jin stated.

######

Jin, Kirito, and Asuna were fighting off the monsters in the dungeon. They used their individual skills to pass through the dungeon monster encounters. Jin felt suspicious of the AI from the monsters.

"You can see it, can you? The AI of the monsters." Jin said.

"Yeah… They have been acting irregularly lately." Kirito said, confirming Jin's suspicion.

Kirito opened his menu and showed a map of the dungeon. As they walked, they noticed strange and demonic looking doors in front of them.

"Is this the door…?" Asuna asked reluctantly.

"It seems so…" Kirito said.

"Without a doubt… The boss room." Jin followed.

"What should we do…? Should we take a peek?" Asuna asked.

"The bosses won't leave their respective rooms so we can sneak a peek without going into their battle zone. Make sure you guys have your warp crystals ready for use." Jin said.

Kirito and Asuna nodded, equipping their warp crystals.

"Get ready, I'll be opening it." Jin said.

Jin pushed the doors open. At first, it was dark. Eventually, blue flames suddenly became alit on torches. From the darkness, a demonic monster with muscles as taut as ropes rippling up its towering form was shown. Its skin was deep blue and its eyes glinted with the same blue-white hue, matching the tint of the flames in its room. Its head, resting atop its thick chest, was that of a goat's rather than a human's and had an elongated snout. Thick, twisted horns stretched backward from the sides of the head. The lower half of its body with bestial legs was covered in long, navy hair. It was holding a zanbato on its right hand.

"Oh shit…" Jin said.

The boss was named 'Gleam Eyes'. This forced Kirito, Asuna, and Jin to retreat.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8: The azure devil. Blood flames.

I do not own anything from SAO or Rurouni Kenshin.

Jin, Kirito and Asuna fled from the boss room. They were all shocked to see the boss upon opening the door, roaring loudly in its battle stance. They were catching their breath after their panicked sprinting.

"No mistake about that… That was a demon-type boss…" Kirito said.

"It is… I never thought of encountering another demon-type boss, especially here in this level…" Jin said, catching his breath.

"Wait, you fought other demon bosses…?" Kirito and Asuna asked in surprise.

"You recall the Ifrit from Floor 35? It was a demon-type boss and I was the one who slayed it." Jin said, showing the Asahi sword as proof.

"Dang man… I don't want to know how you were able to fight the boss on solo, especially with your skills." Kirito said.

"Don't bothering asking. I was lucky enough to be gifted with the Secret Swords passive skill, heat resistance. Otherwise, the Ifrit would have turned me into cinder." Jin said.

"Don't you have any rest after each battle, Jin?" Asuna asked, worried about him.

"Not me… I sleep away from the safe zones so I'm on high alert." Jin replied.

"That's very risky for you to do that, Jin. I don't think I can sleep outside in the middle of a monster filled environment." Kirito commented.

Jin scoffed in response. Kirito and Asuna casted concerned looks at him.

"That's how I am… A drifter in Sword Art Online… Anyway, enough about me. That boss, Gleam Eyes looks pretty tough." Jin said.

"Yeah… That zanbato is rather large. I don't think that sword is its only weapon." Kirito commented.

"I have a feeling you're right about that. Some demon-type monsters have skills specific to themselves. The Ifrit was no exception; the hellfire it uses was one example." Jin explained.

"Hellfire?" Asuna asked.

"An AoE monster skill. It's said to be the most dangerous type of fire one could get exposed to." Jin briefly explained.

"What happened if you get caught in those flames?" Kirito asked.

"The flames would produce a burn status that weakens your attack and induces damage over time, similar to poison. It's a very troublesome status effect from the hellfire." Jin said.

"Yikes… That sounded like a troublesome boss for you." Kirito said.

"It has been. Nearly got myself killed in two separate ways." Jin said.

"Anyway, how will we able to take this boss down? We can't fight it down by us alone. We'll need help from the Clearers in the front lines." Asuna said.

"It would be ideal if we had 10 people who are shield users." Kirito said.

"Even so, numbers won't be able to overwhelm this boss. It's essentially asking it to pick off others." Jin said.

"Dang, you're right about that, Jin… We need a powerful squad in this one…" Kirito said.

"Speaking of shields, I never seen you use your other sword that Lisbeth made for you. You appear to be hiding something, Kirito-kun." Asuna presumed.

"What brought this up, all of a sudden?" Kirito asked, sounding nervous.

"One hand sword users tend to have shields as a backup weapon. You never used a shield in part of your combat style, Kirito. Plus, Asuna is a rapier user so shields will slow her speed. I'm a katana user, using the principles of battōjutsu." Jin explained.

Jin and Asuna gazed at Kirito, who looked nervous from their staring. It felt like time was slowing down on him as he felt their staring.

"In any case, it's rude to start speaking ill of their skill choices. It's their preference, especially how it helps one advance this far." Jin said.

Kirito sighed with relief from Jin's explanation.

"Good point there, Jin. In any case, why don't we take a break and have lunch?" Asuna said.

"I agree. Can't go fighting with an empty stomach." Jin agreed, opening his inventory.

From Jin's hands, a tomato basil soup formed. Asuna made a basket appear with her homemade cooking.

Kirito had a surprised expression, looking at the basket like a hungry animal.

"Is… Is it something you made?" He asked.

Asuna giggled while Jin continued eating his soup. Asuna and Kirito looked at him, eyeing his soup.

"How were you able to train your cooking skills if you don't live in a home, Jin-san?" Asuna asked.

"Living the life of a drifter is tough at times so I often practice with a campfire. That's how I learned to cook." Jin said.

"Whatever makes you feel better, I suppose…" Kirito relented.

"Don't you get lonely when traveling through Aincrad by yourself?" Asuna asked with concern.

"I'm used to it now. I'm pretty sure you noticed most of the players' reaction from the raid against Laughing Coffin when they saw me." Jin said.

"Oh…" Asuna realized.

"In any case, aren't you guys going to eat?" Jin questioned.

Asuna realized she held the basket out. This got her embarrassed, realizing she didn't notice it when Jin began explaining.

"Alright Kirito-kun. Gloves off first." Asuna said.

Kirito did so and unclothed his hands. Asuna provided him with a sandwich that had spring onions with meat. He was reluctant at first but he decided to bite his meal. Upon tasting it, he was surprised of the flavors.

"It's amazing… How did you make it taste so good?" Kirito asked.

"A year's worth of practice and savings." Asuna said, showing the information to Kirito.

The information created a hemisphere around the trio. Jin was not as surprised as Kirito, but he kept his composure. Kirito, on the other hand, was definitely surprised.

"You have been experimenting the sauces and spices to find the appropriate flavors and to find out whether the reproduction taste effect would occur." Jin deduced.

"Sounds like you also had your part on cooking, Jin. What did you typically use to cook?" Asuna asked.

"It's best not to know…" Jin said.

"Come on. Enlighten us." Kirito said.

"If you insist…" Jin relented, showing the information on cooking.

Asuna and Kirito were shocked to see how much info he had. The hemisphere of information overlapped Asuna's, making her looked surprised.

"How on earth were you able to amass this much info?" Asuna asked.

"During my travels across Aincrad, I sometimes stop by a restaurant and often ask some of the chefs on how to cook. They taught me during their hours off, allowing me to practice on my own." Jin answered.

"Now that's convenient… With your cooking skill being trained to the max, you can make almost anything you want." Kirito complimented.

"Asuna's cooking does look better in my opinion though. My meals, although really nice, are usually short." Jin said.

By then, the trio noticed several players arriving in the safe zone. Jin quickly stood up, ready to fight. He then noticed a familiar face that he hasn't seen for a long time.

"Klein? You're here too?" Jin asked in surprise.

Klein was wearing red robes and black armor resembling those of a samurai including a katana, along with his guild members. They were all males.

"Jin… Is that you?" Klein asked in shock.

"It's been a long time since we last saw each other." Jin commented.

"How are you holding up, Jin? I heard about what you have been doing so far." Klein asked with a worried tone for his friend.

"It's a painful struggle, but it's nothing I can't handle. Looks like you guys need a break from the monsters here in the Labyrinth." Jin replied.

"Yeah… After the constant fighting, we need a break from it all." Klein said, showing his guild mates looking exhausted.

"If you guys are planning to take the boss on, forget it. It's too dangerous for even all of us." Jin warned.

"I know… We're only mapping out the area so we can inform the Clearers on where the next boss is." Klein said.

"We found the boss room, but it's highly advisable to just flee from it. This one is another demon-type boss, one that makes the Ifrit look like a cheap walk." Jin commented.

"Wait, you faced the Ifrit alone?" Klein asked in surprise.

'Why do I have to show them proof every time…?' Jin complained in thought, making a poker face.

He then showed his Asahi katana, as proof from his confrontation with the Ifrit.

"Well… That proves you have been successful…" Klein said, near speechless.

"I also see that you prefer using a katana. I guess my influence of using battōjutsu must have made you want to learn katana skills instead." Jin pointed out.

"Yeah. Plus, a katana is more damage inducing, thanks to converting speed into power." Klein admitted.

"Good choice of words there." Jin commented.

Klein then noticed Kirito with him.

"Yo Kirito. How have you been?" Klein said.

"Took you long enough." Kirito said off handedly.

"Rude as always, I see. It's kind of odd that both of you being solo players would be teaming up, especially with a girl. Then again, I won't question it." Klein said.

'Duly noted…' The boys thought.

Klein then had a look at Asuna, leaving him quiet for a few minutes.

"I'm sure you know each other when fighting the bosses, but this is Klein. A friend of ours, whom we helped back in Floor 1 on how to fight monsters. He's now the guild leader of FuurinKazan. Klein, this is Asuna, the vice commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath." Jin introduced to both of the people.

Klein remained stunned, unable to make a response. His mouth was open, leaving him frozen.

"Oi Klein. You might want to close your mouth before a bug gets in it…" Jin joked.

This had the effect of making Klein close his mouth in response, but it made Kirito and Asuna snicker in response.

'Good way to make a joke like that, Jin.' Kirito thought, holding his laughter at bay.

Klein then bowed at Asuna. He was looking really tense, judging by how he was shaking.

"N-Nice t-to meet you! I-I'm Klein, 24, single, and looking for a girlfriend…!" He said.

Kirito merely slugged Klein on his abdomen, making him stagger and lose his breath.

"Geez, Kirito. You could have chosen a more rational method…" Jin commented.

Klein's guild mates gathered around Kirito, making him tense up.

'This can't be good…' Jin thought comically.

The guild mates remained in place, causing Jin to hold his hand on the handle of his sword, Amaterasu. The tension grew thicker as the seconds rolled by.

"It IS Asuna! I'm glad to finally meet you!" The guild mates said, breaking the tension.

Jin calmed down, but had to stifle from laughing as Kirito was forcing the boys back in a near futile attempt for crowd control.

"Looks like you have a fan group, Asuna…" Jin said.

Asuna was puzzled, unable to respond on the sudden events. Kirito tried to reason with her.

"They're not bad people. Despite their leader, they're good people to get along with." Kirito said.

Klein stepped on Kirito's left foot, getting his attention.

"Payback…" He said smugly.

This caused Kirito and Klein to make a comical fight, almost acting like brothers. Asuna and Jin watched with a deadpan expression before Asuna started laughing. Jin smirked seeing the play fight occurring.

"You guys act more like brothers fighting over something childish." Jin said, holding his laughter at bay.

Klein decided to drag Jin in to talk with him and Kirito.

"What's the deal, you two?" Klein comically questioned to the boys.

"Well…" Kirito said, thinking of a response.

"Come on, you guys. Spill the beans." Klein pestered.

Asuna decided to speak out formally to help stop the comical discussion.

"Nice to meet you. We were partying for a little bit." Asuna said.

Klein and his guild mates all had crestfallen expressions. Klein decided to comically voice his outrage at the boys.

"Kirito! Jin! Start explaining!" Klein demanded.

"Simmer the hate down, will you? Asuna only wanted to party up with Kirito. She also asked Kirito if I could join in so he sent me a message to join in. Also, those two have each other while I don't have time for relations." Jin explained.

Klein noticed how Jin looked away, crossing his arms. The young man felt bad for the teenager, forcing himself to be a martyr for everyone's safety.

"That only makes it more worrisome on your part… This game has changed you a great deal…" Klein sympathized.

"Yeah… In the worse way possible." Jin confirmed cryptically.

By then, everyone heard what sounded like a small squad of knights marching from behind. They all looked to where the sound was coming from. They were all males, wearing high-quality heavy armor with a crest in the shape of Aincrad engraved on it, complete with a helmet. One of them was wearing a red cape to distinguish himself from his men. Jin noted that he was wielding a one-handed straight sword and a heavy shield.

"That's The Army…" Kirito said.

"The Army…? They were called the Aincrad Liberation Force or ALF a while back. Seems like they're pushing themselves to clear this dungeon… However, their numbers are crippling since the incident in Floor 25… An incident that I failed to protect their men…" Jin said, feeling guilty.

Asuna and Kirito felt concern as Jin was lost in his memories. He had a forlorn, off-look expression in response.

"Why are they doing here in Floor 74? I don't think they can take this any longer…" Klein said.

"You're right… The soldiers look exhausted." Kirito noted.

"I heard they have been trying to strengthen their members to help recover the losses, or try to recruit others for increasing their troops. They have been doing this instead of going to the front lines." Asuna explained.

The leader of the small squad of the ALF paused and turned to his men.

"Rest!" He ordered.

The other players behind him collapsed on exhaustion, catching their breath. Jin snapped back and noticed the leader of the squad approaching him, Kirito, Asuna, Klein and his guild.

'This guy with the red cape must be a lieutenant… No doubt he has some authority from the guild leader.' Jin thought.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Kobatz from the Aincrad Liberation Army." The leader introduced.

"Kirito. Solo player." Kirito responded.

"Asuna. Vice-commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath." Asuna followed.

"Klein. Leader of the guild, FuurinKazan." Klein also followed.

Kobatz looked at Jin who remained silent.

"State your name." Kobatz commanded to Jin.

Jin's eyes locked at Kobatz's eyes, who briefly gasped in seeing him.

"The Fiery Battosai…" He said in hidden shock.

"Seems like even The Army fear me… I don't blame them for giving such a horrified expression…" Jin commented.

"No, it was my actions that may have riled you." Kobatz said with respect.

"You can relax… You were doing your job as commander of your squad." Jin said.

"You have been doing okay, Jin? I understand that you were trying to help us in Floor 25…" Kobatz asked.

"Still having nightmares…" Jin revealed.

"I'll have a word with you for a moment." Kobatz said.

Kirito and the others were surprised on how Jin knew The Army to the point of friendship. They then paid attention to Kobatz.

"Forgive me for earlier. Have you all ventured further from this point?" The lieutenant asked.

"Yes. We also found the boss room." Kirito answered.

"We request that you share the map data with us." Kobatz said.

"What!? That took us a while to map out this whole area! We can't give it for free!" Klein protested.

"We intend to share our resources with the other players fighting for their lives here in Aincrad! Plus, we're the ones maintaining order, especially keeping an eye out for the prisoners!" Kobatz refuted.

"It's best to share the data… However, I must warn you and your squad, Kobatz. The boss is without a doubt dangerous. Don't take the risk to fight it. Your men are already fatigued." Jin spoke.

"How sure are you about this?" Kobatz asked.

"Sure enough that I could end up dead if I were to fight it alone…" Jin said.

"I'll trust on your word once we see it. Thank you for cooperating with us, and for providing a message to prepare for a potentially dangerous battle." Kobatz said.

Jin shook his head in response, not liking that the lieutenant making a hasty decision.

"Lieutenant… I suggest preparing your group or asking some help with the Clearers to fight this boss. It's useless to fight it on your own." Jin suggested.

"I know, but we must fight this boss, no matter how tired we are." Kobatz said, refusing to back away.

Kobatz and his men moved out. Kirito, Klein, and Asuna began to ponder whether or not they can handle the boss.

"Will they be able to survive?" Klein asked.

"No, they won't…" Jin said, clenching his hands tightly.

A heat wave began to pour around Jin. Everyone backed away from him as they saw his teeth grinding against one another. He then walked away to follow the small squad.

"We should follow him… Jin might end up fighting the boss to protect them…" Kirito said.

"Are you sure about this? You'll risk getting killed…" Klein said.

"I would do the same for a friend of mine… Let's hurry!" Kirito said.

######

Jin was walking through the direction to the boss room, killing any monsters who stood in his way.

"Get out of my way…" He said coldly.

Kirito and the others showed up to see Jin killing a Lizardman with one slice, causing it to be burned in ash before disappearing in blue polygons.

'Whoa… Now would not be a good thing to get in front, especially when Jin is all riled up…' Kirito and the others thought.

Each monster that came up to him, ended up being killed in a brutal fashion, scaring everyone.

'He's scary like this… Being cold and dark with those fire oriented skills…' Asuna thought.

By then, a man's scream echoed in the labyrinth. Jin wasted no time cleaving his way through a small group of Lizardman.

 **"Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

Jin turned himself into a flaming buzz saw, slicing through the monsters blocking his way to the boss room. His eyes evidently changed to a crimson color, showing his anger.

"Guys, wait up!" Klein shouted before more Lizardmen showed up.

Kirito and Asuna followed Jin to the boss room. Another male scream echoed in the Labyrinth, forcing Jin to dash at insane speeds.

"Rrrraaagghhhh!" Jin shouted, pushing himself to his limits.

######

Jin arrived at the boss room to notice several members of The Army were at their limits. As much as he feared, they were ill-prepared to fight the Gleam Eyes.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING!? GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BY USING YOUR TELEPORT CRYSTALS!" Jin bellowed.

"We can't! We tried using them, but they won't work!" One of the members said in panic.

'Oh no… No, no, no… Not this trap again… Not the same one that almost killed the Moonlit Black Cats…' Jin thought with fright.

Kirito and Asuna arrived to see Jin with a horrified expression. They were all shocked to see him in this state.

"The Liberation Army shall never know shame from retreating! Fight! We must fight on!" Kobatz ordered.

"YOU IDIOT! DON'T START ATTACKING THE BOSS!" Jin yelled.

Klein arrived just in time to see Jin shaking.

"What the heck is going on?" Klein asked with worry.

"This room won't allow crystals to work here. There hasn't been a boss room with this kind of trap…" Asuna said.

"Is there something we can do?" Klein questioned seriously.

"If we can provide an opening, they can escape." Kirito said.

Kobatz stood his ground, while his men cowered from the boss.

"Men! Attack!" He ordered.

Jin growled loudly, causing flames to sprout around his sword, almost reaching his right arm.

"YOU FOOL!" Jin bellowed, racing his way to rescue the members of the Army.

Gleam Eyes then leaned its head back before breathing out a powerful stream of purple energy, killing off two members.

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WAITING FOR!? GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Jin said.

The boss then swung its zanbato on Kobatz, who had no time to dodge or block the attack. He was hurled to Jin with his HP dropping to zero.

"KOBATZ!" Jin yelled.

The helmet shattered, revealing his sharp face, very short dark hair, and a pair of sharp eyes below his thick eyebrows. His face was contorted with a horrified expression.

"I-Impossible…" Kobatz said, before disappearing in blue polygons.

The Army could do nothing, but pandemonium broke out for the loss of their captain. They were panicking, screaming for any hope of leaving the boss. Jin lost his footing, falling to his knees in seeing one of his friends die in front of him. He remained motionless for a second till he looked up. His hair covered his eyes, but he had a crazed expression. He was out for blood. The blood of the Gleam Eyes. He slowly walked in the boss room, lurching with flames licking his body.

"Jin…! Don't do it!" Kirito said, trying to call him back.

"It's suicide, Jin! Don't fight this boss alone!" Asuna screamed.

"Stop it, Jin! You won't be able to survive!" Klein called out.

All words were fallen to deaf ears. Jin continued moving till he start to run at insane speeds. With a running start, he leaped up to the boss's face and performed a straight kick, knocking it back.

"Did he just…kick the boss on the face?" Klein asked in shock.

"We saw what he did… He's lost it completely…" Kirito said, bringing the rest of The Army out.

Jin held his right hand on his sword, facing the Gleam Eyes who roared at him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He bellowed.

The pure rage, sadness and pain from Jin's inhumane scream was all bare to show. It caused a shockwave of fire to blow at the Gleam Eyes, making it stagger. Jin's hair then changed. It turned orange red, almost like fire.

"What the heck is going on? What's happening with Jin?" Klein asked, seeing the events occurring.

"I don't even know… He didn't mention anything like this…" Kirito said.

Jin unsheathed Amaterasu, causing the sword to create white-hot flames. He then uttered two words in a cold tone so chilling, one would feel their spine tingle upon hearing the words.

 **"Hiken: Shukuchi Mugen!"**

Jin dashed forward at fast speeds that an untrained eye cannot trace. Despite Kirito having a fast reaction time, even he had a hard time tracking where Jin was moving. He kept moving in a blur, cutting the Gleam Eyes in various sections of its body. The first cuts appeared on its face before another set began appearing on its abdomen, legs and back. This gave Kirito a chance he needed to fight alongside Jin.

"Everyone… I'm going to help him out… This time, I won't hold back any more of my secrets…" Kirito said.

He then opened up his menu and decided to equip his Dark Repulser alongside his Eludicator, shocking everyone. Kirito walked forward to fight in the carnage.

"Kirito, come back! It's dangerous now!" Asuna called.

Kirito didn't listen as he then felt the wind of hot air blow on his face as Jin stabbed the Gleam Eyes on its right arm, forcing it to drop its zanbato.

"I don't have much of a choice at this point… Jin's fighting this boss alone, but he's not doing much damage… It's now or never… **Starburst Stream!** " Kirito said seriously.

Both swords began glowing in a light blue color. Kirito dashed forward, performing a horizontal slash with his Eludicator, followed by an uppercut slash with Dark Repulser. He then jumped and spun the air, creating two slashes with both swords at the same time. The boss had its HP decrease by half due to the relentless attacks.

'Faster…!' Kirito though.

Jin continued barraging the Gleam Eyes with Shukuchi, creating deep wounds, while Kirito performed an x-shape dual slash from top to bottom, following an inverse x-shape slash from bottom to top. The Gleam Eyes roared in pain. Everyone outside the boss room watched the amazing yet brutal spectacle happening in front of them.

"What the…?" Klein said, seeing the two swordsmen maiming the Gleam Eyes to death.

Kirito performed two diagonal slashes moving opposite of each other. The Eludicator was going up-right, while the Dark Repulser was going down-left. Gleam eyes tried to attack the boys, but it proved fruitless as Jin continued barraging the beast with flame coated slashes on its arms and head. It managed to land a punch on Kirito before he reverse gripped his swords. Kirito unleashed an x-shape slash, following by a barrel roll-like a maneuver, similar to a corkscrew. Gleam eyes attempted to breathe out a purple beam, but Jin attacked its chin, forcing its mouth shut.

'More speed…!' Kirito thought.

Kirito performed a downward x-shape slash before creating an upward x-shaped slash. He repeated the dual diagonal slash before spinning in a full circle. The momentum allowed him to unleash a powerful horizontal attack before concluding with two uppercut slashes with both swords.

'Damn it… I'm at my limit…' Kirito thought.

Gleam Eyes had a sliver of HP left in the yellow zone, shifting its attention to Kirito. However, Jin pushed it back by kicking it on its abdomen, forcing it away from Kirito, who sheathed his swords and regrouped with Klein. It roared before Jin jumped towards its chest. In due to his rage, he began performing the next set of skills.

 **"Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

Jin was rolling on the creature's body tearing pieces of the boss's flesh off as blood sprayed all over him, dying his body red. Immediately, he followed with another attack. He began rolling in the air, maiming the boss. The force caused the air to blow his hair back, showing his eyes. They were glowing off white while his irises glowed blood red.

 **"Hiken: Yasai no Hi!"**

Using the skill, Jin kept cutting the Gleam Eyes on its leg, forcing it to stagger. He then dashed up to it and began slicing the neck off. The flames from his sword turned from a pure white to a raging red color from the relentless attacks that sprayed him in blood. The boss tried to outstretch its hand to stop Jin.

 **"Hiken: Shukuchi Henka: Mugen no Ken!"**

Through the use of this variation, Jin's attacks pierced through the hand and arm, turning it to a bloody mush. With all his rage, Jin focused his final skill at the boss, which staggered back with fear. The boss's HP was now in the red zone.

 **"Hiken: Hono no Kanji!"**

The fluid slashes from Jin were numerous before forming the shape on Gleam Eyes' abdomen. It was the kanji of anger (悻). The Gleam Eyes roared before it disappeared into blue polygons. Jin placed Amaterasu back in its scabbard before looking on the floor. He bellowed out his rage before collapsing on the floor, not paying attention to his HP, which was a very small sliver. He had 15 HP left. His hair eventually turn back to its normal, black color.

######

In a few minutes, Jin woke up. Kirito, Asuna, and Klein were all concerned for him.

Jin, thank goodness you're okay!" Asuna said.

Jin didn't respond, looking despondent for the loss of his friend.

"Once again… I survived, but not my friend…" He said, losing his will to live.

Asuna realized he was now losing himself in his sorrow. She slapped him to get him back.

"Snap out of it, Jin! This isn't like you!" Asuna yelled.

Jin remained quiet as Kirito and Klein all felt terrible for him. He didn't make any response.

"That was so reckless of you, Jin! I thought you would end up dead!" Asuna said.

Jin merely moved Asuna away from himself. He looked at the survivors to evaluate the casualties.

"How many losses?" Jin asked in a monotone voice.

"There were three casualties, including Kobatz." Klein reluctantly responded.

Jin fell to his knees in response. His eyes were still red.

"This was hardly a battle… It was a death fight…" Jin said, despondent.

"They should have listened to you, Jin… Damn it… Why didn't he?" Klein said in frustration.

Jin began to move to the staircase leading to the next floor. Klein ran to him, stopping Jin by holding his right shoulder.

"Jin! What you did just now, it made me happy to see that you care for others despite how much you've been through… Don't forget that…" Klein said, wiping his face.

Jin remained standing for a few seconds before moving forward. Although he didn't show it, his red eyes were shedding quiet tears.

'I knew Kobatz when we first fought against the boss on Floor 25… It was one of my failures in protecting those I cared for… Now here in Floor 74, I lost a friend whom I knew… How much more hell do I need to endure before I succumb to my torture…?' Jin thought.

Klein decided to talk with Kirito in regards of the performance the boys did against the boss.

######

Jin didn't ascend the stairs. For the next few days, he went into hiding in Floor 1 in town, away from the public eye. He didn't respond to anyone's messages. He kept a torn black robe on to cover is presence.

'I don't want anyone to bother me at this point… I heard of Kirito's trouble with information brokers trying to find him for details of him regarding of a new skill. However, they're more interested in me.' Jin thought.

In Floor 1, several players received news of the Gleam Eyes' defeat. It was spreading like a wildfire.

"Have you heard? The boss on Floor 74 was killed." A male spear user said.

"No way… Who was the one that killed it?" A male shield and sword user asked.

"I heard it was from the Black Swordsman and the Blaze Swordsman." A female sword user said.

"The Fiery Battosai was with the Clearers?" A male blunt weapon user asked.

"No, he and a solo player maimed the boss to death." A female sword user said.

Several players began reading the article, detailing of Kirito's 16-sword combo and Jin's immeasurable attacks.

'To think that boss forced me to use a variation of the Shukuchi… The AI of the bosses have been changing drastically.' Jin thought.

He sighed in response before using a teleport gate, teleporting to a different location.

######

In Floor 48, several players were also reading the article of the recent news. Nearby, a familiar blacksmith girl noticed the black robe. She recognize the person who wears it.

"Jin…?" Lisbeth said.

She followed Jin's retreating form. Jin heard Lisbeth coming to her, prompting to speed up.

"Jin, wait!" Lisbeth called out.

By then, he stopped for a moment. Lisbeth watched as he slowly turned around. When he removed the hood form the robe, she was shocked to see his face. His eyes remained red after the battle.

"Your eyes… They're red…" Lisbeth said with concern.

Jin remained quiet, unable to speak due to his reluctance.

"Why won't you say anything, Jin? Did something happen in that battle in Floor 74…?" Lisbeth asked reluctantly in concern.

She heard Jin sigh in response.

"It's not easy for me to say this… One of my friends, whom was with The Army, perished in front of me while trying to fight the boss in Floor 74… I don't want to share much about what happened…" Jin said.

The solemn tone from his voice was evident. Lisbeth gasped, realizing he lost a friend he was close to.

"I'm so sorry…" Lisbeth sympathized.

She went to Jin, hugging him immediately. This surprised the Blaze Swordsman, leaving him quiet for a bit.

"Jin… You have been through so much… Why can't you stay with someone that you'll love?" Lisbeth asked.

"Then the same person would be forced to deal with the pain I've endured. Everywhere I go, one or more of my friends perish in front of my eyes… Do you think any normal person would remain sane after seeing this happen frequently in less than a year?" Jin questioned, countering Lisbeth's.

"It's still wrong for you to hold it all to yourself… You have been alone for a long time with no one to fall in love with…" Lisbeth said.

"Nothing right now means anything more to me than to end this nightmare… I'm already at my breaking point…" Jin said, walking to a teleport gate.

Before Lisbeth could stop him, Jin teleported away. She watched the retreating form disappear, leaving her to watch the teleport gate.

######

Jin arrived in Floor 47, seeing the flowers through the horizon. This provided a form of peace for him. However, it was anything but peaceful. Several players took note of him, staring out at the fields. One in particular, was a familiar girl with a small dragon.

"Jin…?" Silica's voice said.

This shocked the players when Silica went up to him. Silica noted how quiet he was.

"Sorry, Silica… It's a terrible day for me…" Jin said.

Before Silica could ask what was wrong, Jin disappeared via warp gate. She tried to locate him, but there were no traces of his presence.

######

Jin arrived in Floor 1, only to end up meeting with the Moonlit Black Cats, who were coming back from a battle.

"Jin? Are you alright?" Sachi asked.

Jin looked at her for a few seconds. He then pulled his hood back, showing his blood red eyes.

"Your eyes… They've turned red…" She said in shock.

"They have been like this for a while… I'm not in a battle though… It's because I'm mourning…" Jin said.

"Mourning? Who are you mourning for?" Sachi asked, feeling terrible to see him in such a pitiful state.

"A friend of mine… He died in front of me when I was in Floor 74…" Jin said.

Sachi and the others noticed a stream of tears from his eyes. Only, there were tears of blood.

"Jin, your eyes are bleeding…" Sachi said.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9: Traitor of the guild. Flames of Vengeance and Pain.

I do not own SAO or Rurouni Kenshin.

A few hours have passed since Sachi saw Jin cry tears of blood from his eyes. The Moonlit Black Cats felt sorry for him going through such a terrible ordeal.

"Jin… You don't have to go any further that would cost your life… You have done what no normal player could possible do…" Keita said.

"Our leader's right, Jin. Why don't you join with us? You can't possibly clear this nightmare alone…" Sasamaru said.

Jin was silent, trying to convey his answer. However, he was having a mental conflict whether to join the guild or not. He remained still, thinking on what his choice will be. Everyone waited for the answer as the tension suddenly got thick.

"Very well then… I'll join with you guys…" Jin relented.

Everyone smiled in response when they heard him accept the request to join the guild. Before they could celebrate, Jin suddenly received a message from Kirito.

-Come to Floor 55. We have a meeting with the guild leader from the Knights of the Blood Oath. Asuna also requested you to come.- The message said.

Jin sighed in response. He then looked to everyone.

"Looks like I have a meeting to attend to. The celebration must be delayed since this meeting must be important." Jin said.

"It's okay, Jin. We'll wait till you come back." Sachi said.

Jin nodded before setting off. Before he had a chance to step outside, Sachi then hugged Jin from behind.

"Please… Stay alive for us…" She said in a sorrowful tone.

Sachi then felt a liquid drop on her hand. She then noticed it was tears from Jin, who was silently shedding them.

"I will…" Jin said, wiping his tears off.

Sachi watched Jin as he disappeared in the horizon, heading to the teleport gate.

######

Jin arrived in Floor 55, noting the town he was in.

'Granzam… I remember coming here to help Lisbeth find the ingot needed for her to make Kirito's sword in the West Mountain…' Jin thought.

Nearby, Kirito and Asuna were waiting for Jin. They noticed him, looking concerned.

"Are you okay, Jin?" Asuna asked.

"I'm fine… More importantly, how are you guys holding up from the info brokers?" Jin asked.

"We barely escaped from them since everyone heard about our skills." Kirito said.

A large crowd of players began to gather at the trio. This prompted them to start running.

"They don't let up, do they?" Jin asked.

"They don't… Better start running, fast!" Jin said.

Asuna smirked before taking off in a peel out, holding Kirito's left arm. Jin used his natural speed, catching up to Asuna with little effort.

######

Within the outskirts of Granzam, a large canyon was in view. It was more of a wasteland in appearance. Jin managed to look around the area before noticing Asuna.

'So this is where the Knights of the Blood Oath reside… Perfect place to hide away from PK guilds or prepare for a defensive position.' Jin thought.

He then noticed Asuna near him, looking surprised.

"How on earth are you this fast? You just looked like a bullet in that speed…" She asked.

"A perk of using Shukuchi… It allows me to passively increase my speed by using a variation of the skill." Jin explained.

The trio noticed a large building in view of an open area of the canyon. It was a large, fortified white castle, complete with flags that had the Knights of the Blood Oath symbol.

"This must be the headquarters." Jin said.

"Yes, this is where the Knights of the Blood Oath reside." Asuna answered.

"Good place for them to have the advantage in battle thanks to the geography." Jin said.

"No time to nitpick. We need to see Heathcliff, the leader of this guild, for an important meeting." Kirito said.

Jin sighed, keeping himself quiet while he followed the trio to the meeting room.

######

Heathcliff was waiting on his desk for Asuna to arrive with Kirito and Jin. He heard the door open to see the people he was expecting.

"Ah good. All three of you are here." Heathcliff said.

"Dispense with the pleasantries, for time is running short. Let's proceed with the meeting." Jin said.

"Going straight to it, I see… Very well. Despite we being called the number 1 guild in Aincrad, our resources are running thin. We've also lost some of our forces back in Floor 67." Heathcliff explained.

"Your point is?" Kirito asked.

"You're drawing my vice-commander, one the most important people, away from the guild." Heathcliff answered.

Asuna was about to refute, but Jin held her back.

"If you claim her as a VIP in your guild, you've done a poor job in judging who has the qualifications for being her bodyguard." Jin scowled.

"I apologize about Kuradeel for causing trouble to you all." Heathcliff responded.

"Do so. Also, be sure to send a member to watch him… Something about him feels wrong, something that I can attribute to a bloodthirsty person." Jin said.

"If you say that, then I'll be sure to have one of my commanders keep watch of him. In any case, we can't sit back as you continue to keep our vice-commander away from duty. Kirito, Jin… I want you two to fight me with your swords." Heathcliff said.

"I'm not the one whom you should challenge. I was only dragged into the mess." Jin said, his eyes starting to turn red.

Kirito and Asuna noticed his eyes changing and were on guard.

"Regardless, I wish to fight you both. If you both succeed in defeating me, then Asuna is free to do whatever she wishes. However, if either of you lose during my fight, then you'll become a member of my guild." Heathcliff said.

"Cast your thoughts aside of me joining this guild. I recently joined one not too long ago." Jin reprimanded.

Everyone looked at the Fiery Swordsman with surprise. They didn't expect to hear that from him, not even considering to join a guild.

"Which guild did you end up joining…?" Heathcliff asked.

"The Moonlit Black Cats. A small guild that lives in peace. I won't disclose the location since I want them to enjoy a peaceful settlement." Jin answered.

"In that case, when we have our duel, if you win, you can stay in your guild. However, if you lose, you know the answer." Heathcliff said, leaving his last choice for Jin to know.

"I already know… Abandon the guild I recently joined and stay in your guild. However, I don't intend to join a guild by force. Don't think you can simply request for me to cooperate just because of my strength." Jin warned.

"We'll see. I'll have my duel with Kirito first." Heathcliff said.

######

Jin arrived in Floor 50 in a coliseum for the battle to start. He was watching from the entrance to the battle ground. A large number of people gathered to see the duel.

'Heathcliff may have made a mistake to try and challenge Kirito right off the bat… This risks him in both of us knowing about the skills he can use.' Jin thought.

He then recalled seeing Heathcliff using his skills in previous battles to clear the game.

'The Divine Blade skill… Considered the most powerful skill on Aincrad, it has the passive ability to dramatically raise the user's strength and defense. Looks like I'll be fighting against the strongest player in terms of stats compared to weapons…' Jin analytically thought.

######

At the coliseum battle grounds, Kirito was wielding both of his swords. Heathcliff had his sword equipped on his right hand with a shield on his left arm.

"Let's begin our duel. Whoever has their HP go to the red zone loses." Heathcliff said, starting the duel.

A countdown of 20 seconds began. Both combatants were tense, ready to fight. The seconds of the countdown were slipping slowly to the fighters.

'I don't know how he fights, but I need to start using my trump card if I have a chance to know his combat prowess. He uses a shield in conjunction with his sword, but I don't know any other skills that he possesses, other than his strongest skill.' Kirito thought, sweat dripping from his skin.

The countdown eventually hit zero. Both combatants anticipated for one another to strike. Kirito moved forward, ready to strike at Heathcliff. He merely moved his shield in front of him, blocking the sword attacks.

'He anticipated where I was about to strike… He knows what he is doing…' Kirito thought.

Kirito continued his assault on Heathcliff, who blocked his attacks with little difficulty. The leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath immediately parried Kirito's attack. This gave him the chance to attack his opponent, moving his sword forward in a stab attack. However, Kirito blocked it off by crossing his swords in a scissor guard, diverting the attack away from touching his face.

'He's good… I could honestly say that he could make me go for a run of my money…' Kirito thought.

Heathcliff decided to fight on offense, forcing Kirito on the defensive. This prompted him to parry or block the attacks. He then performed a back flip, gaining some distance between him and Heathcliff.

######

Jin watched the duel carefully. For most of the people watching, Kirito and Heathcliff were moving in blurs. However, Jin was able to track them down with ease.

'They're on a stalemate in this duel… If anything, the only deciding factor for either one is taking a hit. Whoever takes damage, it'll be the deciding factor.' Jin thought.

Asuna was nearby, watching Kirito fighting Heathcliff. She had a worried expression on her face.

"Simmer down, Asuna… Kirito is not one who would simply fall from a duel like this that easily." Jin reassured.

"I'm worried about him because he's doing this for my sake… Plus, he got you involved and risk you abandoning the guild you are in." Asuna said.

"Knowing this, it won't faze me." Jin said.

######

Kirito awaited Heathcliff's next attack. The leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath charged forward. In a surprising moment, Heathcliff used his shield as an offensive weapon, punching Kirito on the gut.

'He used his shield…!' Kirito thought, having his breath taken away.

Kirito was forced to jump back in response, noticing Heathcliff charging at him. They clashed their swords, parrying each other before moving back to get some distance. The Black Swordsman then leaped forward, using his Vorpal Strike skill to pierce the shield, but it had little effect. There was no scratch on it, but it gave Kirito some breathing time, knocking Heathcliff back.

"Nice reaction time. I'd say that you can face the Blaze Swordsman and be victorious." Heathcliff complimented.

"That shield of yours is rather strong. Even if my agility is higher than a normal player, not even I would survive against the Blaze Swordsman. He would take me down without blinking an eye." Kirito admitted.

The audience was cheering wildly for the two combatants. Everyone never expected the match to be intense. Kirito and Heathcliff dashed forward, fighting in dominance to overwhelm one another. Most of their attacks were parried while some manages to nick each other. Their HP gauges were decreasing to borderline yellow.

######

Jin kept a careful watch of the duel. He took notice that both combatants were in a stalemate.

'They're evenly matched… I'd say it would be a good time for them to use their specialized skills, lest one loses the duel.' Jin thought.

Asuna wasn't faring any better. She watched nervously as Kirito and Heathcliff were fighting fiercely, creating a small dust storm. She then decided to talk with Jin.

"Jin, who do you think would win this match?" She asked, uncertain.

"I'd say Kirito would win this… His Starburst Stream is capable of immense power, equal to the Vorpal Strike. However, it's more versatile and capable of overwhelming a shield user. If he has the time to use the dual wielding skill, now would be a good choice." Jin explained.

######

Kirito began to move fast, trying to fight through Heathcliff's shield. Their HP was at 50%, turning yellow. It was a deadly dance of swordplay.

'Not yet…! I can increase the speed…!' Kirito thought, pushing himself to the limit.

Heathcliff struggled to block off Kirito's relentless attacks. He decided to take a chance to attack and stab him, only for Kirito to tilt his head away, scratching his left cheek. This left him open momentarily, allowing the Black Swordsman to return the same attack to the leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath. This caught Heathcliff off-guard from Kirito's sudden attack, making him turn serious.

'It's now or never… Time to use it!' Kirito thought.

His swords flashed in deep blue, indicating he was using Starburst Stream. He began performing the initial combos, forcing Heathcliff to hold his ground. Each strike was forcing his grip on the shield to loosen considerably. Kirito took the initiative and a powerful x-shape attack with both swords. The force of the attack was so strong, it knocked Heathcliff's shield off, leaving him open.

'Now's my chance!' Kirito thought.

Kirito raised his Elucidator to make his final strike.

######

Jin began to notice something from the distance. He noticed Heathcliff whispering to himself. This forced him to read his lips on what Heathcliff was saying.

'Moral Code Removal? What is Heathcliff up to?' Jin thought.

This prompted the Blaze Swordsman to watch the match with an intense stare, knowing something was about to change.

######

Kirito noticed that Heathcliff was moving his shield at impossible speeds to block his attack. This left him completely off-guard, allowing Heathcliff to retaliate with a clean hit on him with a smirk. Kirito realized he lost the match upon his HP reach the red color.

'I lost… But how though? He moved his shield beyond the maximum parameters in speed…' Kirito thought.

The audience cheered loudly as the match of Kirito and Heathcliff was over. However, they all awaited the time for Jin to fight against him.

######

Jin frowned upon seeing the outcome of the duel. He knew something was wrong the moment Heathcliff uttered the words he read from his mouth.

'Something tells me this Heathcliff is more than just a leader of a guild. How would a person be able to achieve privilege from the system?' Jin questioned in thought.

His questioning was put to halt when he noticed Kirito coming in with a disappointed expression. Jin sighed, knowing Kirito felt his pride was wounded.

"I know what I saw, Kirito. I won't let him get the drop on me." Jin said in a calm tone.

"Be careful, Jin. Whatever he did, it caught me in surprise." Kirito said.

Asuna went to Kirito, feeling worried for him.

"Try to soothe him, Asuna. He looks shocked of what happened." Jin said.

Asuna was about to say something to Jin, but she saw him enter the battleground, ready to fight against Heathcliff.

'Jin, I hope you can forgive me of risking you to leave the guild you recently joined…' She thought.

######

Jin was waiting for Heathcliff to arrive in the battleground. Heathcliff eventually arrived, ready to fight. His HP was restored from the damages in the previous duel with Kirito.

"So… Ready to commence this duel?" Jin asked.

"Ready when you are, Jin-kun. I won't be as easy as from what you saw in the match." Heathcliff said.

Both combatants used the menu interface and agreed to accept the duel conditions.

"Same rules as the previous duel?" Heathcliff asked.

"Same rules." Jin said.

Heathcliff applied the rules and commenced a countdown. The audience was cheering wildly than usual. They were now awaiting to see what Jin was capable of in the middle of a fight.

'He's still using the same fighting style against Kirito… That shield of his is rather tough to fight off. I may have to use some of my skills that can extend my cutting range.' Jin thought.

The countdown was slipping by, raising the tension in the coliseum. Jin's eyes turned red, indicating he was ready to fight. He brought Amaterasu out, making the sword flicker with flames. Eventually, the countdown ended.

######

Kirito and Asuna watched as both of the combatants were ready to fight. Both knew it would be a shocking duel to see.

"Kirito-kun, do you think that Jin can take down Heathcliff?" Asuna asked.

"I have my doubts since the duel from earlier. Knowing him though, he may have a chance." Kirito replied.

Both were uncertain to know of the outcome of the duel. They began to watch as the fight started.

######

Heathcliff started off by dashing at Jin with his shield out on front. The Blaze Swordsman noticed what his opponent was about to do. He performed a forward flip, effectively dodging the attack with grace, catching Heathcliff off-guard. This allowed Jin to follow up with his first attack.

" **Hiken: Shukuchi San!"**

Using the sudden speed to his advantage, Jin quickly closed in and delivered a quick slash to Heathcliff. This forced him to swing his shield to block the attack. He ended up receiving a few nicks from his attempt to block off Jin's assault.

"Such speed… You would easily overwhelm Kirito at that rate… Now I see why even he would have a hard time." Heathcliff commented.

'He's trying to get a feel of me **…** I'm not falling for that.' Jin thought.

Heathcliff decided to go offensive, dashing to Jin with his shield. This forced the Blaze Swordsman to swing his sword on the shield to divert the attack away. However, he was left open for a second, allowing Heathcliff to attack him. Jin quickly raised his sword up to block off the attack, which caused Heathcliff's sword to make a shallow cut near his right eye.

'So that's how it goes… Well then… If that's how you want to play, then you'll see why no one should fight against me…' Jin thought.

A sudden aura of heat erupted from Jin. Heathcliff noted the air was getting warmer from the sudden release. He then looked at Jin, who was preparing another attack.

" **Hiken: Homura Dama!"**

Jin wreathed his sword in fire and made several attacks, forcing Heathcliff back. He knew the cutting range was extended due to the flames dancing on Jin's sword.

"That's certainly a troublesome skill set. Using fire to extend your cut range is rather ingenious to hold me back." Heathcliff commented.

Jin paid no heed, now knowing that Heathcliff will anticipate his next attack. However, he smirked.

'That's only the tip of the iceberg, fool…' Jin thought.

######

Kirito and Asuna were watching the duel and was surprised he was using his weaker battojutsu skills.

"What is Jin doing? Why attack Heathcliff with a low level skill?" Asuna asked.

"He's gauging his opponent, trying to assess on how the duel will go." Kirito realized.

"Gauging? Are you saying that Jin is learning on what Heathcliff is doing?" Asuna asked.

"I have a feeling so." Kirito answered.

######

Jin then dashed forward, moving at fast speeds thanks to Shukuchi. Heathcliff moved his shield in front to block off his next attack, only to be shocked at what he saw.

" **Hiken: Shingu Renge Henka: Kasai no Senkai!"**

Jin was in a rolling somersault, acting like a flaming buzz saw. Heathcliff held his shield as hard he can, but he was forcefully pushed back to a wall, allowing Jin to push forward and knock the shield aside. He kept his skill active, causing Heathcliff's HP gauge to decrease to the yellow zone. Heathcliff noted that Jin lost only 14% of his HP in comparison. The audience was excited, evident from their loud cheering to see the Blaze Swordsman in action.

"I'm impressed… You managed to inflict greater damage on me." Heathcliff said in compliment.

Jin remained silent, not wanting to waste his breath. He then followed with another skill to end the duel. This prompted Heathcliff to say the same words during the duel with Kirito.

"Moral Code Removal." Heathcliff muttered.

######

Kirito immediately noticed Heathcliff increased his speed parameters once more. He was shocked to notice the sudden change.

'He… He's doing the same thing when I fought him… He increased his speed parameters again!' Kirito thought in shock.

Asuna was worried that Jin may not join his guild. She watched as the duel got tense as time passed.

######

Immediately, Heathcliff dashed forward in intense speed for a second. He attacked with a Vorpal Strike, but Jin stood still. He raised his sword in a kendo stance before swinging it to the side. The sudden attack deflected Heathcliff's sword, shocking him.

'He… He parried my attack, despite me raising my speed parameters beyond the norm…! Who is he?' Heathcliff questioned in thought.

######

Kirito was beyond shocked. Everyone that saw the sudden occurrence was shocked to see the sudden turn in the battle.

'Jin countered Heathcliff's speed! He was able to prepare himself for anything to the point of anticipation!' Kirito thought, unable to comprehend how Jin was successful.

Asuna was also shocked beyond belief. She couldn't believe on what happened. It was like a fictional samurai fight, but the duel in front of her said otherwise.

######

"It's over…" Jin said.

Channeling fire on his blade, Jin counterattacked.

" **Hiken: Houken!"**

The flames condensed on to the sword, extending its length. Heathcliff attempted to block the attack, but he was met with full force from the power. The force caused him to be blown quite a distance before impacting on one of the walls of the coliseum. This caused his HP gauge to reach the red zone, signifying the end of the duel. Everyone was shocked that Jin was able to defeat Heathcliff.

"Guess that means I'll remain in the guild I'm with then." Jin said, shaking his sword from the flames.

Heathcliff was still shocked of the sudden outcome. He couldn't find any simple explanation as to what happened.

"How were you able to deflect my strike like that? I was moving at fast speeds." Heathcliff asked.

"I took some time to train on kendo prior to playing this game. It was a teaching passed down from my sensei, who told me to wait for the chance to attack." Jin replied.

Jin then walked away as the crowd roared with excitement. He was questioning on Heathcliff to himself.

'Something about him is very strange. No player should manipulate their stats like that. Only a person working in the MMO would have GM privileges to do as he or she pleases with their character's stats. I'll worry about this later one.' He thought.

######

Sometime later, the trio was in Agil's Item shop. Kirito was showing dislike of his uniform. Asuna giggled, seeing his disdainful expression on his face.

"Couldn't they have something less flashy than this…? Why can't I keep my usual black clothing instead?" Kirito asked.

"This is one of the less flashy uniforms in the guild. It does suit you nicely." Asuna complimented.

Asuna then turned her attention to Jin.

"You know that you nearly risked losing the duel, Jin… Why are you such a heavy risk taker?" Asuna asked.

"Death no longer phases me. I guess you could say that constant fighting made me more composed, especially when I'm in an intense battle." Jin replied.

Asuna was internally debating on how to sympathize with Jin's response. Kirito collapsed on a nearby bed, placing his left fist in front of his sight.

"I never thought I would be in a guild again…" Kirito said.

This got Asuna's attention, hearing Kirito's muttering.

"I'm sorry for dragging you two in this mess." Asuna apologized.

"It's fine. I'm already reaching my limits as a solo player." Kirito said.

"I won't be with the guild I'm in for long though… It's a temporary recruitment, since I have to continue fighting." Jin said.

"It does make me feel better on what you said, Kirito-kun. Jin-kun, you're pushing yourself too harshly if you continue staying alone… Don't you feel lonely?" Asuna asked.

"I'm used to it. It's not anything out of my norm." Jin replied.

"I also want to ask you two something… Both of you have been avoiding guilds up till now. Why were you doing so and why avoid close contact with other people? It isn't because of your skills or being beta testers, is it not?" Asuna questioned.

Jin and Kirito remained silent for a full minute. Asuna was concerned of their silence before Kirito decided to speak.

"I did join a guild one time. Jin didn't but he stayed with them temporarily. It's a tiny guild, consisting of five members. It's called the Moonlit Black Cats. To be honest, their levels were much lower than mine and Jin's. I thought if I revealed my true level, they would reconsider in making me join them. Jin knew what I was doing at the time… He kept the secret hidden from me. The way they interacted comfortably made me covet the same bonds the guild shared with one another. However, on a fateful day…we wounded up in a trapped room in the Labyrinth on Floor 27. Jin was with us during that time…" Kirito explained.

Asuna was listening intently as Kirito paused before continuing.

"We were able to survive thanks to Jin's efforts, but it left me emotionally scarred… I almost led them to their deaths without knowing of the trap that the room had… Once we escaped, I told the leader of my real level and status as a beater. He kindly told me that I will still be invited to the guild, regardless of what I am. Jin, on the other hand, took it the worst. He snuck out from us, fighting monsters to the point of exhaustion. He was nearly killed in the process." Kirito finished.

Asuna was shocked to hear how much Kirito was suffering emotionally. She also glance at Jin, who was having a far off expression on his face. Her attention shifted to Kirito. She placed her hands on Kirito's face and made him look at her.

"I won't die and neither will Jin. He has been through a lot and so have you, Kirito-kun. The reason I'm saying this is because I'm the one who'll protect you." Asuna said with a gentle smile.

Asuna hugged Kirito closely. He was confused in to how to respond. He remained silent, not even moving.

"Jin… Please try to stay alive… We're your friends and we can't bear to see you continue this way…" Asuna said.

Jin remained silent but he made a subtle nod from his head. A soft breeze blew from the open window, causing his hair to billow.

"I'll be back. Just to take care of some business." Jin said.

He brought out his warp crystal.

"Teleport: City of Beginnings!" Jin said.

######

Jin arrived at the Town of Beginnings. He was making his way to meet with the Moonlit Black Cats.

'I've accepted their invitation to join their guild. It's now or never.' Jin thought.

He walked into a small apartment building, where the Moonlit Black Cats resided.

######

Keita heard a knocking sound from his door.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"It's Jin." Jin replied.

Keita immediately opened the door. He was pleased to see the Blaze Swordsman.

"Ah, you're here. That's good. Now we can commence our guild meeting." Keita said.

"A guild meeting behind the scenes? What's the topic?" Jin asked.

Keita smiled before the other members came into view.

"Congratulations in joining the Moonlit Black Cats, Jin." Everyone said.

This caught Jin in surprise. He didn't expect a sudden congratulation party to occur. The calming atmosphere made him smile, albeit faintly. Sachi was the first to notice.

"You should smile more, Jin-kun. You look really nice that way." She said.

Jin's face flushed in response. This made Sachi giggle, seeing how embarrassed he looked.

######

The date was October 23, 2024. Jin arrived in the guild headquarters of the Knights of the Blood Oath. He looked calm, but internally, he was high strung.

'To think that Kirito messaged me that Kuradeel would be joining him on a training regimen… No way in hell I'm letting that guy near my friends.' Jin thought.

Asuna noticed Jin about to enter the headquarters.

"Jin, what are you doing here? I thought you're with the Moonlit Black Cats." Asuna said.

"Is Kirito still here?" Jin asked.

"Yes. Why?" Asuna questioned.

"I need to warn him… He's with Kuradeel and I don't like him for several reasons." Jin said.

By then, Kirito and Kuradeel came out with another guild member. He was a huge man with thick, shaggy orange-brown curls and he looked like an axe wielder. He was wearing a white and red Knights of Blood Oath uniform with a white cape, a metal chest plate, metal shoulder plates and bracers and brown, leather gauntlets. Jin kept a wary eye on the man.

"It's okay, Blaze Swordsman. Kirito's in good hands." The man said.

"Better make sure since I can't trust Kuradeel for his previous actions. Name?" Jin asked.

"Godfree's my name, and I'll be training Kirito with Kuradeel in the Labyrinth here in Floor 55." The man named Godfree said.

Jin felt somewhat calm with the man's personality. He loosen his arms before sending a friend request to him.

"My name is Jin. I'm pretty sure you know about me from Asuna." Jin replied.

"Oh? Adding a new friend so suddenly? I also heard about you from her." Godfree said.

"It's to help keep an eye out for you guys. I'm just weary with the number of people I've lost." Jin said.

"That's understanding. Thanks for the concern, Jin." Godfree said.

"I won't be able to come to the training regimen you guys are doing so I'll wait here." Jin said.

Godfree nodded in response. He then turned to Kuradeel and Kirito.

"Gentleman, please present to me your crystals. Don't worry, I won't use them. This is a training exercise for us all in regards on how we will use our skills." Godfree said calmly.

Kuradeel and Kirito reluctantly gave him the crystals they possessed. Jin was uneasy, not liking what may happen later on.

"Okay everyone! Let's go!" Godfree said cheerfully.

"Yeah…" Kuradeel and Kirito said with a dull tone.

Before they left, Jin gave a sharp glare to Kuradeel, who was intimidated from the staring.

"Do anything to them, and I'll turn you into cinder." Jin warned.

"I-I apologized to Kirito…" Kuradeel said, shaking.

'Somehow, I don't think that's the case.' Jin thought.

######

Kirito, Godfree and Kuradeel were at the dungeon entrance in Floor 55. The trip took them about half an hour by foot. It was a vast canyon with no plant life in the surrounding region.

"Okay! Time for a break." Godfree announced.

Kirito and Kuradeel sat down on the ground, showing some exhaustion from the trip.

"I'll distribute the food to everyone." Godfree said, opening his menu.

He then tossed two bags. One for Kuradeel and Kirito, respectively. Kirito opened his bag only to find a loaf of bread with a small glass jug of water. Sighing in seeing he wasn't given Asuna's home cooked meal, he opened the jug and began to drink. Kirito noticed Kuradeel didn't touch his food or water at all. He just gave a smirk at Kirito, seeing him drink the water along with Godfree.

'Oh no…!' Kirito thought.

He then tossed the glass jug away, causing it to shatter. However, his fears was realized. He couldn't move his body as he felt stiff.

'Paralysis!? He must have added paralyzing poison into the water!' Kirito thought.

Kuradeel stood up, cackling manically at seeing Godfree and Kirito paralyzed. He had a crazed expression on his face.

"What is the meaning of this…? Kuradeel, weren't you were the one who brought the water to us?" Godfree said, struggling to move.

"Use the antidote crystal! Hurry!" Kirito shouted.

Kuradeel noticed what Godfree was about to do. He quickly went him and kicked the antidote crystal away.

"This is all a training regimen, isn't it Kuradeel?" Godfree asked, not understanding the threat he's in.

"Godfree-san. You're such a fool. I know you were more muscle than brain." Kuradeel said, equipping his sword.

"What are you doing? This isn't part of our training…" Godfree said.

Kuradeel raised his sword up and swung it down on Godfree's back. Godfree watched with horror as he saw Kuradeel's face with a crazed expression. The color cursor above him turned orange.

"Stop!" Godfree pleaded.

Kuradeel didn't listen to Godfree, continuing to effectively slice him down.

"Listen… Our party was attacked by a gang of criminal players out in the fields! Despite your valiant efforts, you were slain! I returned alone, having survived the ambush and killing the criminals!" Kuradeel said with glee, laughing.

He then raised his sword up to do the finishing blow to Godfree. The man could only watch in seconds as his life was taken from him. He disappeared in blue polygons.

######

(Minutes earlier)

Jin was inside the guild headquarters of the Knights of the Blood Oath, sitting in the guest room. He was twitching, uncomfortable of seeing Kuradeel with Kirito. Asuna noticed how agitated he looked.

"Calm down, Jin. I'm sure they're okay." Asuna said.

"I know… However, I can't trust that guy. He looks the type to kill you from behind." Jin said.

He then opened his menu to check on his friends. He scrolled down to see the name Godfree, only for it to suddenly fade away in gray before disappearing. This got him in complete shock, forcing him to stand up.

"We have to go to the Labyrinth, NOW!" Jin said, showing his anger unrestrained.

Asuna was surprised on how he was acting.

"Why are we heading there? Did something happen?" Asuna asked.

"Yeah. Godfree's dead." Jin said, shocking Asuna.

######

Kirito was deeply shocked on what happened. Kuradeel then turned to Kirito, intending to finish him off.

"Hey, because of a kid like you, I had to kill an innocent bystander." Kuradeel said insanely.

"For what you have done, you sure took a lot of pleasure in killing him. Why would someone like you join in the Knights of the Blood Oath? You'd be better with any criminal guild." Kirito said.

"Quite an interesting person, you are. I'd say you have sharp eyes." Kuradeel commented, removing his lower armor on his arms.

Kirito was shocked to see a familiar symbol on the left arm of Kuradeel.

"That symbol…! You're a spy of Laughing Coffin!" Kirito said.

"That guild was the answer as to how I was able to concoct that paralysis potion. Whoops. Better stop talking before the paralysis wears off. Time to end this!" Kuradeel said in mad glee.

He stabbed Kirito's left arm, causing the young swordsman to scream in pain. Kuradeel moved the sword around, cutting off Kirito's HP.

'The paralysis is still in effect… Damn it… Wear off already…!' Kirito thought.

Kuradeel continued to torture Kirito to death. He stabbed Kirito's right leg, shoving the blade around.

"How does it feel, knowing that you're about to die? Tell me, would you?" Kuradeel asked, insanity already evident.

Kirito's HP was dropping down till it hit the yellow zone.

'Am I…going to die…here?' Kirito thought, feeling his death close to him.

"Hey now! Say something… You're about to die! This is all for killing us and defeating our leader!" Kuradeel said, accidentally revealing his plot.

Kuradeel kept cutting Kirito, bleeding his HP down to the red zone. Kirito closed his eyes, feeling a sense of hopelessness. He was not willing to die without Asuna, but he couldn't move any more.

"Time to die!" Kuradeel said with glee.

A fiery breeze suddenly got Kuradeel's attention. He looked up and noticed a fiery comet ramming him on the face with enough force to send Kuradeel flying to a nearby wall of rock. It was Jin and Asuna.

'They made it in the nick of time…' Kirito thought with relief.

"Kirito, are you alive!?" Asuna asked.

"Just use the healing crystal… I'll deal with this…maggot." Jin said, holding a snarl back.

Asuna wasted no time and used the crystal to heal Kirito's HP.

"Thank goodness I made it in time." She said in tears.

"How did you know that I was in danger?" Kirito asked.

"Jin told me that Godfree died and he brought me here as he raced his way to find you." Asuna said with tears.

They then turned to Jin, who was lurching with a menacing aura, scaring Kuradeel.

"Jin, don't! Are you planning to kill him!?" Asuna shouted.

Jin didn't respond immediately as his anger was taking over his reasoning.

"Asuna… Take Kirito and get away from the canyon…" He said.

Asuna didn't reply nor didn't she leave.

"DO IT!" Jin shouted, flames racing around him.

Asuna and Kirito were shocked on the sudden tone. They were unable to move as they watched Jin moving to Kuradeel.

"Y-you aren't going to kill me, are you?" He asked with fright.

"Kill you…? I'm not going to kill you…" Jin said.

Kuradeel was having some relief from Jin's response.

"'Kill' is such a baby word. **I'M GOING TO BURN YOU AND HURL YOUR ASHES IN THE AIR**!" Jin bellowed.

Kuradeel was now frightened. Jin then slowly brought Amaterasu out.

" **Hiken: Shukuchi Ni!"**

He quickly lopped off Kuradeel's arms off. This made him scream in pain, seeing his arms hacked off. Jin's next attacks then came.

" **Hiken: Homura Dama!"**

He then sliced off Kuradeel's legs, leaving him unable to move.

"D-demon…!" Kuradeel said.

"Demon… How fitting for someone like you, Kuradeel. You and the rest of Laughing Coffin shall perish. NOW REPENT FOR YOUR CRIMES IN HELL!" Jin bellowed.

He raised his left fist, forcing his fingers to straighten like spear before pulling it back. The hand glowed in a fiery, yellow aura as Jin pierced Kuradeel's chest, killing him instantly.

"Damn you… Blaze Swordsman… I hope you rot in hell…" Kuradeel said, disappearing in blue polygons.

Jin looked at the ground, where Kuradeel was bleeding out before Jin killed him. He made a smirk, only it was one with a cold spirit.

"I'm not the one going to hell. You will, Kuradeel." Jin said, countering Kuradeel's last words.

######

Asuna was shedding tears, obviously guilty for letting Kuradeel harm Kirito and killing Godfree.

"I was so scared that I thought I was going to lose you… If it weren't for Jin stopping him, I would be too late… It's my fault…" She said, sobbing.

Kirito then turned and captured Asuna's lips. This left her in surprise, unable to speak.

"My life is yours now, Asuna… I will make sure we will make it to the end." Kirito said.

Asuna held Kirito closely as he continued speaking.

"Asuna, I want to stay in your place tonight…" Kirito finished.

"Okay." Asuna said.

######

Kirito was with Asuna in Floor 61, at the town of Selmburg. He was in Asuna's place, drinking tea after eating a recent meal. Both were quiet, not saying a word. Kirito noted she finished drinking from her cup.

"Okay!" Asuna suddenly said, placing her cup on the table.

Kirito was unsure on what was about to happen. Asuna then turned the lights off, making Kirito uncomfortable. She then opened her menu and all of sudden, Asuna undressed herself, leaving her in her underwear. This shocked Kirito upon seeing the sudden action.

"Please don't stare at me too much… Please hurry and get undressed, Kirito-kun… It's awkward if I'm the only one like this." Asuna said, feeling embarrassed.

"T-that's not I mean, Asuna…! I-I just wanted to stay here for the night. I didn't mean it like this, but I'm at fault for not fully explaining." Kirito stuttered, flustered and keeping his eyes closed.

Asuna looked at Kirito, whose eyes remained closed while his face turned red. She looked at him for a few seconds but she was also embarrassed. She suddenly tensed up, showing she was getting angry. Kirito could hear her voice becoming angry, causing him to stumble on the floor, blinded.

"You IDIOT!" Asuna said, making her right arm glow in a pink color.

She punched Kirito so hard, it sounded like thunder.

######

Sometime later, Asuna was asleep. Kirito remained awake, but he had a soft smile. He then poked Asuna's left cheek, waking her up in the process.

"I'm sorry… Did I wake you up?" Kirito said.

"It's okay. Kirito-kun… I need to know something… Why Jin told us to leave the area?" Asuna asked.

Kirito was reluctant to answer, but he decided to respond.

"Jin has been hunting down every single PK guild across Aincrad up till now. Titan's Hand, Shinigami, Hades, even Laughing Coffin etc. All these guilds he hunted down were due to their crimes in killing the innocent." Kirito explained.

"But that also means he's a murderer as well! He shouldn't go that far to doing what he's done!" Asuna said.

"I know that! However, Jin killed off his heart, suppressing his emotions for the most part. He had changed drastically ever since the boss battle on Floor 1. When he heard news of the rise of PK guilds, he stopped for nothing and began hunting them down. Once he heard of a player killing another for their pleasure, he hunts them down, regardless of moral choice." Kirito said.

"Couldn't he send them to prison? That would have been a better way than staining his hands with blood." Asuna asked.

"No, it's not that simple. Once one becomes a killer, they get drunk of their own strength and keep killing others to satisfy their bloodlust. Simply putting them in jail doesn't guarantee they'll stop killing. Jin knows this, henceforth he kills them in cold blood. Sometimes, the shock of it, due to the last words of the slain, affect him severely…" Kirito explained.

Asuna couldn't help but sympathize on Jin's part. She held Kirito close, not wanting him to suffer the same thing.

"I hope you aren't developing the same ordeal Jin is dealing with… I'm afraid of how you'll deal with it." Asuna said.

"I won't be like Jin… I'm not strong willed compared to him." Kirito said.

Kirito began to think for a minute before he began speaking.

"Let's take a breather for a week. I know a place, a cabin for that matter, in Floor 22 called Coral Village, where we can rest peacefully. Plus… We can get married." Kirito said, blushing.

Asuna was shocked of the sudden confession. She smiled and cried tears of happiness. She held him close, now finding someone she can be with.

######

Jin was in Floor 1. He was now resting in a different room from the Moonlit Black Cat's headquarters. He couldn't sleep, due to Kuradeel's last words haunting him.

'Am I…a demon…?' He questioned to himself.

Jin then heard his door open. Sachi was out from his room. She could tell something was on his mind.

"Jin… Is there something wrong?" Sachi asked.

"Sachi… I guess I have something that has been plaguing me… Tell me this though… Am I…really a demon?" Jin asked, uncertain on what to hear.

Sachi was deeply shocked to hear what Jin was asking. She went up to him and hugged him in response.

"What happened to you…? What caused you to ask this kind of question?" Sachi asked.

"I…had a brief scuffle with one of the surviving members of Laughing Coffin. He nearly killed one of my friends, but I managed to intervene. However, my anger took over my reasoning and I…" Jin said, pausing.

Sachi saw how the Blaze Swordsman, whom everyone was afraid of due to his accomplishments, was breaking down mentally. It was a pitiful sight to see one of the strongest players in SAO break down in confusion and self-questioning.

"You have been holding it all in… All your emotions were suppressed when you were hunting down the PK guilds. They're now nonexistent thanks to you." Sachi reassured.

"Even so… I have done things that I'm not proud of. I'm a murderer in cold blood, Sachi. I've killed the people here in SAO, despite my ethical choice. I know it was morally wrong, but I had to endure this pain. It'll forever stay with me as a scar." Jin said.

Sachi held Jin closely, doing whatever she can to help comfort him of his pain. It was proving arduous.

"You never wanted to get close to others because of this overwhelming pain… I understand that you don't want anyone to go through on what you have been through. However, it's still wrong to handle this on your own." Sachi explained.

She held Jin's head and placed it on her laps. A wet feeling then caught her attention to her lap from where Jin was laying down. She could hear haggard breathing coming from him. Sachi realized that Jin was crying.

"It's okay, Jin. I'm here for you." She said.

Jin's crying was quiet, but his haggard breathing was loud enough for Sachi to hear his sorrow. She kept his head close to her lap, soothing him from his pain.


	11. Chaptet 11

Chapter 10: Budding feelings.

I do not own SAO or Rurouni Kenshin.

Jin was clenching on his covers while sleeping. The past battles against the red guild, Laughing Coffin, have taken a great deal of his mentality. Sachi noticed him in the bed showing signs of seeing a nightmare. She held on to him to try and relieve the nightmare.

"Jin-kun... Don't let your nightmare consume you in despair... I can't bear to see you in so much pain..." She said.

Jin was visibly calming down. However, a lone tear was shown flowing out of his right eye. Seeing the tear glitter in the moonlight, Sachi broke down. She was hurting from seeing him in so much pain without rest.

'Jin-kun... When we finally meet in the real world, I want to be there with you.' Sachi thought.

She held his head close to her chest. Jin slept quietly while Sachi held him. A lone tear came from her left eye in response.

The next morning, Sachi woke up. She noticed Jin was on her chest. Before protesting, she recalled trying to relieve him from his nightmare.

'I wish we will be able to finish this game... I'm already afraid of losing you...' She thought.

She heard Jin grunt in his sleep. Soon, he woke up, looking fatigued.

"Good morning, Jin-kun." Sachi said.

"Good morning..." He replied somnolently.

Jin wiped his eyes. Sachi noted his irises were red.

"Jin-kun... Your eyes..." She said.

He realized his eyes were red and calmed himself down. His normal eye color came back before changing back to red, but he still felt slightly disoriented.

"I must have cried in my sleep... Didn't I?" He asked.

"You did. You had a nightmare which was the cause of it..." Sachi said with a soft tone.

"I don't even know how many times I've shed tears... In the real world, I would be crying tears of blood, due to a medical condition." Jin said.

This made Sachi gasp softly. She held his head close to her chest in response. Jin gave a downhearted expression as he felt Sachi's heartbeat.

"Thank you, Sachi. I'm better now." He said with a melancholy smile.

Soon, the other members of the Moonlit Black Cats came in. They noticed Sachi giving moral support to Jin. They saw his eyes were still red.

"You have been suffering from your nightmares again, haven't you?" Keita asked.

Jin nodded his head in silence. The other members sympathized in response.

"Will you continue helping the Clearers finish SAO?" Sasamaru asked.

"I have to. I don't want anyone I know suddenly disappear like a memory here." Jin said.

He then stood up, equipping Amaterasu. His eyes went back to normal.

"Come back safely, Jin..." Tetsuo said.

Sachi held on to Jin's right hand. He looked at her in silence. Both didn't exchange any words, but understood each other as they looked at each other for a few seconds. Soon he blinked, shedding a single tear.

'Jin-kun...' She thought.

As though they have understood each other mentally, the other guild members parted from him in respect. When they saw Jin outside, he equipped a red robe of fire designs.

Jin was fighting off the monsters around him in Floor 56. He kept pushing himself, fighting off small creatures made out of stone and dirt.

"GeoCrawler spawn... These things haven't decreased in numbers since the boss was raided." He said.

Soon, one of them lunged at him. This prompted Jin to retaliate.

 **"Hiken: Houken!"**

Using the fiery blade extension on Amaterasu, he stabbed the monster down.

'Intense vibrations from the molecules on my sword can pierce through anything, even armor... I guess there's more to knowing of the Secret Swords techniques.' Jin thought.

Soon, a group of four players came into view. They were all wearing silver armor that looked similar to dragon scales. Jin knew these people.

'The Divine Dragons Alliance or DDA... If I can recall about them, they are SAO's most active Clearers. They could even make the Knights of the Blood Oath look like children.' Jin thought.

"Halt! State your business here." A member asked.

Jin looked at the one who requested him to answer. The man had short, sports club, ace-like brown hair, thick eyebrows, and a square jaw. The voice he made sounded almost magnetic. He was holding a 2 meter long guard lance and a tower shield.

"Just a wanderer who is training." Jin answered.

The man looked at Jin, recognizing him. Immediately, he got on guard in response.

"Lower your weapon... I'm not here to cause PK fights. I only came here to train on sharpening my battle skills." Jin reasoned.

The man lowered his weapon in response, but he still kept his guard up.

"I know about you... You're the PK hunter who hunted down the PK guilds all across Aincrad. The Fiery Battosai..." The man said.

"I don't care whether people know about me or not. I'm making sure to clear this game and take down any PK guilds that cause trouble. That's my goal." Jin said.

"Too bad we can't sign you up with us. I can see that you recently joined a guild." The man said.

'Way to the point the obvious...' Jin thought.

"Who are you and the people that are following you? I know you're members of DDA, but I do not know your names..." Jin questioned.

"My name is Schmitt." The man said.

He then looked at the three people behind him, intending to introduce them to Jin. The player at the left was a male, brandishing the armor with the color scheme of the DDA. He had a helmet that concealed his face, but left his mouth exposed. He was wielding both a sword and a shield. The next player was also male. This particular person shocked Jin as he recognized who the player was looking like.

"Diavel...?" He asked with shock.

The player gave an understanding expression to him. He was one of the witnesses who saw Diavel's death, especially when Jin killed the first boss.

"No, I'm not Diavel... I just modified my character to look like him as a remembrance... I'm glad that his memory isn't forgotten." The player said.

"Lind, try to show some appreciation for Jin. We all know why he reacted like that." Schmitt said.

"So your name is Lind... Keep living on till the end. His memory will not be forgotten..." Jin said.

The next player was another male. He was wearing the standard DDA armor. The player had tanned skin, short thick eyebrows and black hair tied in a spiky ponytail. His eyes looked droopy.

"The last person here is Yamata. The man with the armor is Shivata. We were all here to train ourselves and farm for EXP to get stronger." Schmitt said.

"Forgive me for intruding then. I'll head out to a different region so I can train. As a payment of apology for intruding, take this." Jin said.

He handed them some money to the guild members, surprising them.

"He's not the same person whom we all thought..." Yamata said with surprise.

"He may be a PK hunter, but he was willing to fight anyone who committed the crime of bloodshed. However, when he isn't, he's like anyone we meet." Shivata said.

"He's already a growing legend. Even a person with such a title who has been fighting constantly will be fatigued mentally and physically..." Yamata said.

Jin bowed respectfully to the DDA members and departed from the area.

In Floor 35, Jin was within the Forest of Wandering, fighting off several monsters labeled 'Drunken Apes'.

 **"Hiken: Funka!"**

Stabbing his sword in the ground, an eruption of fire formed. The remaining monsters were all caught in the flames and disappeared into polygons. Soon, Jin heard a familiar voice.

"Jin-kun... Are you training here?" The female voice asked.

"Yes... I was training here, Sachi." Jin replied.

She noticed how calm he looked, despite being surrounded by fire. Soon, they stopped as Jin placed his sword back in its sheathe.

"You can rest for today, Jin-kun. You have been training hard for some time." Sachs said.

Jin began to think for a moment. Since he had nothing to do, he agreed to spend some time with Sachi.

"I know a place we can go to... It's within that area where one would ease themselves if they feel questioned." Jin said.

Reaching to the teleport gate, Jin began thinking of the place.

"Teleport: Floria!"

A teleport gate opened. Sachi and Jin walked through, holding hands.

The pair arrived in the 47th floor. Sachi noticed the various flowers shown throughout the area. She marveled at the sight.

"It's so beautiful..." She said.

"One of the places that I know that can calm one's mind." Jin said.

"That's why you wanted to take me here... It does feel comforting, knowing that you brought me here." Sachi said.

Jin nodded as he overlooked the vast garden of flowers. Sachi went up to him, giving a content hug to the swordsman. It made Jin blush from the close contact, but he didn't protest.

"It's really nice with you here." Sachi said.

The couple continued moving through the fields. Jin noticed a flower with a strange coloration. He picked it from the ground with the root intact.

'A ruby rose... Guess I'll keep it since there isn't much significance.' Jin thought.

An event soon played out. Sachi and Jin were alerted from the sudden message.

-Everyone, welcome to the Flower Harvest event. The event is held here in Floria. There is a grand prize for the person who finds this rare flower. It's called a Ruby Rose. To the lucky winner, he or she shall receive this rare, Diamond Flower! Good luck and happy harvesting.- The message read.

Soon, players began flocking to the vast gardens, much to Sachi's and Jin's dismay. They both fled, feeling uncomfortable of the large presence.

Reaching to the city, Jin and Sachi relaxed after running.

"Who would have thought an event was about to happen?" Sachi commented.

Jin held a snicker back. He realized about the Ruby Rose he found.

"I guess this rose has some significance after all..." Jin said, showing the rose.

"That's the Ruby Rose...! How did you find it?" Sachi asked in surprise.

"Wouldn't you believe it...? It was in plain sight since it looked redder than any rose I've seen." Jin said.

Sachi giggled as she heard Jin's explanation.

"We should head to where the prize is for the event." Jin said.

"I heard about the Diamond Flower. It has the ability to not only increase EXP earned, but also restore health. I think we'll need it." Sachi explained.

Jin nodded in response. The couple was on their way till they encountered several players attempting to block them.

"Move aside... I don't want to cause bloodshed in this garden." Jin said, showing a serious face.

Everyone recognized him immediately. His eyes soon turned red like blood, already hinting his presence.

"It's the Blaze Swordsman! Don't attack him for any reason! He'll kill and burn our corpses down!" One of the players shouted.

Most fled from attempting to rob Jin. A few remained hardy, ready to fight him.

"I don't care if he's the Blaze Swordsman. I will cut him down and take that flower and that girl." One of the persistent players said.

"Then you leave me no choice, you bandit." Jin spoke, showing a calm,'serious expression.

The male player soon charged forward. Jin, holding his sword, began to channel fire on his blade.

 **"Hiken: Hi Nami Henka: Gōka Messhitsu!"**

The familiar technique during the Laughing Coffin raid soon became visible. Jin swung his sword, which created a flamethrower effect. It wasn't an explosion of fire. Rather, it was a stream of flames. The stream engulfed everything within Jin's sight, preventing the players from getting near him. The sight caused Sachi to be frozen in amazement.

"Let's go, Sachi!" Jin said.

Sachi nodded, still processing what she saw. Realization came to her after seeing Jin's actions.

'He was protecting me... Jin didn't want anyone to be in the crossfire.' Sachi thought.

Making their way to Floria, the couple made their way to the event site.

-We have a lucky winner. It's Jin.- The message said.

Jin was given the Diamond Flower. Instead of holding it for himself, he gave it to Sachi.

"You'll need this more than I do." Jin said.

Sachi smiled, holding the Diamond Flower. Soon, they approached a teleport gate.

"We should head back to headquarters. I have to inform everyone that we are okay. Plus, the item we got from the event is also worth mentioning." Jin said.

Sachi nodded. They soon used the teleport gate and disappeared.

Back in Floor 1, the Moonlit Black Cats guild were waiting for Jin and Sachi to arrive.

"I hope they're doing okay." Ducker said.

"He'll make it. Jin has been a strong person so he'll be with Sachi." Sasamaru reassured.

"We owe a lot to him. Without him, we wouldn't be alive in the first place." Tetsuo said.

"I received a message from Jin. He'll be back shortly from the teleport gate in the city." Keira announced.

This got everyone ready and made their way outside.

Jin and Sachi arrived at the teleport gate in the City of Beginnings.

"Good to be back here." Jin said.

Sachi kept her hold on Jin. Soon, she saw her guild mates and smiled in response. They all walked their way inside their headquarters to talk.

"We managed to acquire a new item from an event in Floria." Sachi said.

"Oh, I heard about the event. Turns out you two were lucky to find it." Keita said.

"It was random luck I found the quest flower when the event was about to start. With it, we have a quick pace of growing stronger." Jin said.

"Thanks Jin. You helped ensure we grow stronger in SAO." Tetsuo said.

"All for your survival... Keita, you still have that revival crystal?" Jin asked.

Keita showed the crystal, indicating it was still available.

"Keep holding on to it. A good leader must know when to use it, especially for his or her comrades." Jin said.

Night came in SAO. Jin was resting in a bed with his own room.

'I know what I have to do... I've seen what Heathcliff did. Kirito May have realized it, but I've seen what happened back in that duel... When he almost got his HP low, he quickly boosted his speed parameters for a brief moment.' Jin thought.

The Blaze Swordsman knew he would have to confront Kayaba eventually. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his door open. Looking at the opened door, Jin saw Sachi coming in. She held her pillow in front of her.

"Sachi?" Jin said in surprise.

"Jin-kun... I wanted to sleep with you tonight. Is it okay if I sleep here tonight?" She asked.

"I don't mind if you feel uncomfortable sleeping alone." Jin reassured, though he had a blush in his face.

Sachi smiled sincerely. She got herself in the covers. Jin kept himself composed, in spite of his blushing face. He then felt Sachi's hand taking his right palm.

"Jin-kun... I want to be with you tonight because..." Sachi paused.

Jin knew what she was about to say. His eyes soon showed a somber emotion as they turned red. Tears were shedding from them, giving the appearance of him crying blood.

"I already know what you're about to say, Sachi..." Jin said.

She gasped after seeing Jin shed tears. He took hold of her and gently gave her a kiss on her lips. It was Sachi's turn to suddenly start shedding tears.

"Jin-kun..." Sachi said, remembering the kiss.

She soon moved forward, kissing him deeply. Sachi was on top of Jin, holding him close. It wasn't a romantic action she was doing. Rather, she kept her hold and position on Jin, afraid he would disappear. Sachi felt his hands on her back, warming her from the cool air.

"Sachi... I will eventually have to go back to the frontlines and end this game... Maybe then, I will be willing to be with you." Jin said.

In a tearful embrace with a kiss, Sachi held Jin close, silently crying on his chest. The moisture on his shirt was already enough for him to understand her concern.

'Sachi, I promise I will make it... We will pull through this trap Kayaba made. Maybe it's the reason why I was born in this era... I might have been a warrior of the ancient world. If so, I'll embrace this spirit within me.' Jin thought, musing his current role in life.

Sachi kept her hold on Jin, even when asleep. The boy question held her close, accepting the warm feeling from her embrace.

Note: Sorry it took me a while. I'm back and in a writing mood.


End file.
